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Published March 11, 2003 | Version Published
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Development of precision hard x-ray multilayer optics with sub-arcminute performance

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Abstract

A new generation of hard X-ray telescopes using focusing optics are poised to dramatically improve the sensitivity and angular resolution at energies above 10 keV to levels that were previously unachievable by the past generation of background-limited collimated and coded-aperture instruments. Active balloon programs (HEFT, InFocus), possible Explorer-class satellites, and major X-ray observatories (Constellation-X, XEUS) using focusing optics will play a major role in future observations of a wide range of objects including young supernova remnants, active galactic nuclei, and galaxy clusters. These instruments call for grazing incidence optics coated with depth-graded multilayer films to achieve large collecting areas. To accomplish the ultimate goals of the more advanced satellite missions such as Constellation-X, lightweight and low-cost substrates with angular resolution well below an arcminute must be developed. Recent experimental results will be presented on the development of improved substrates and precision mounting techniques that yield sub-arcminute performance.

Additional Information

© 2003 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). This technical progress described in this paper could not have been made without the expert and tireless work of our technical staff. In particular, Marcela Stern was essential in defining the slumping techniques. This work is supported by a NASA grant to Columbia University: NAG5-5260 (Thermally Formed Optics for X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Astronomy), and by NASA grants to the California Institute of Technology with subawards to Columbia: Caltech No. 1019776 (High Energy Focussing Telescope) and Caltech No. 1046806 (Critical Technologies for the Constellation Hard X-Ray Telescope).

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Eprint ID
84234
Resolver ID
CaltechAUTHORS:20180110-154040549

Funding

NASA
NAG5-5260
NASA
1019776
NASA
1046806

Dates

Created
2018-01-10
Created from EPrint's datestamp field
Updated
2021-11-15
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Caltech Custom Metadata

Caltech groups
Space Radiation Laboratory
Series Name
Proceedings of SPIE
Series Volume or Issue Number
4851