Multilayer Laue lens focuses hard x-rays

Aug. 1, 2008
While the X-FELO, which is located at the Argonne National Laboratory, will enable new science, focusing optics for it and other hard-x-ray sources are difficult to create—especially optics that are efficient and can focus at near the diffraction limit.

While the X-FELO, which is located at the Argonne National Laboratory, will enable new science, focusing optics for it and other hard-x-ray sources are difficult to create—especially optics that are efficient and can focus at near the diffraction limit. Argonne scientists have developed and tested a new multilayer lens (MLL) design, having a geometry like the Laue geometry in crystal diffraction (in which stacked diffracting surfaces are oriented almost parallel with the optical axis), that produced a 16 nm line focus at a 0.064 nm x-ray wavelength, with an efficiency of 31%.

The lens was fabricated of alternating planar multilayers of pure silicon and tungsten silicide; the layers decreased in thickness from the bottom to the top of the 13.25 µm structure, with the thinnest layer being 5 nm. A single 15-µm-thick section sliced from the structure became the test lens, with the aspect ratio of the outermost (thinnest) layer being 3000. A synchrotron and monochromator produced the 0.064 nm (19.5 keV) light for testing; the test lens had a numerical aperture of about 0.005. Future MLL structures may focus to sizes below 1 nm. Contact Jörg Maser at [email protected].

Sponsored Recommendations

Video: December 8, 2023 Photonics Hot List

Dec. 8, 2023
In this episode, we cover a microscopy method that hits uncharted cell territory, drone-based imaging for solar farm inspection, soliton microcombs that boost conversion efficiency...

China’s industrial laser market shows steady growth in turbulent times

Dec. 8, 2023
This in-depth market update focuses on trends in laser processing and industrial lasers while touching on what to expect in the ultrafast laser, fiber laser, LiDAR, and handheld...

What does it take to land venture capital for photonics-driven startups?

Dec. 7, 2023
Capital to grow a startup company can come from many sources: contract and non-recurring engineering (NRE) funding, angels and friends, customer upfront payments, and venture ...

Looking beyond the incremental: Reimagining optical devices

Dec. 7, 2023
Rob Devlin, co-founder and CEO of Metalenz, shares the significant people that forged his path to developing one of the most promising optics companies in the world today.

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Laser Focus World, create an account today!