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Silicon Pore Optics

Material

The Silicon Pore Optics approach uses commercial, high-quality 1mm thick silicon wafers as a base material. The latest generation silicon wafers have a surface roughness that is sufficiently low for X-ray reflection, are plane parallel to better than a micrometer, have almost perfect mechanical properties, and are considerably cheaper than other high-quality optical materials.

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Assembly

1. The process starts by taking 6-cm-wide rectangular cuts of wafers and treating the backside with a chemo-mechanical process such that ribs remain with a very accurate height and a highly polished surface.
2. One side of the segment is then structured via etching with accurately wedged ribs approximately 1 mm apart. The other side is coated with X-ray reflecting metallic layer.
3. The ribbed plates are then stacked onto a cylindrical mandrel, forming a pore structure.
4. To stack the plates, they are bent into a cylindrical shape with the required radius, and then pressed onto the previous plate. This results in a direct optical bond between the highly polished ribs and the surface of the previous plate.
5. After the stack is built it can be raised in temperature to turn it (partially) into a true covalent bond. Two stacks are co-aligned into a module forming an approximation of a paraboloid-hyperboloid mirror. The radial ribs of the pore structure provide extreme stiffness and stability and therefore allow the walls to be thin. The accurate height of the ribs, a direct result of the good plan-parallelism of the wafers, ensures that the plates are accurately concentric cylindrical or conical surfaces.
6. A total of 236 modules form a "petal"—an azimuthal segment of the full mirror.
7. Eight such petals form the complete mirror.
8. Hard X-ray sensitivity is provided by coating reflecting surfaces at the innermost radii with multi layers.

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An automated optical assembly system was developed and placed in a class-100 clean room environment. The system is fully computer-controlled and has a number of actuators, some of them nano-actuators, an interferometer, digital microscopes with real time image analysis, and force sensors.

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Selected References

• M. Beijersbergen, M. J. Collon, R. Günther, R. Partapsing, M. Ackermann, M. Olde Riekerink, C. Cooper-Jensen, F. Christensen, M. Freyberg, M. Krumrey, M. Erhard, C. van Baren, K. Wallace, and M. Bavdaz. Silicon Pore Optics Technology. In American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts, volume 213 of American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts, pages 457.06, January 2009.
• E. J. Buis and G. Vacanti. X-ray tracing using Geant4. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 599:260–263, February 2009.
• G. Vacanti et al. A generic X-ray tracing toolbox in Geant4. In Proceedings of EUV and X-ray Optics: Synergy between Laboratory and Space Conference 7360, volume 7360. SPIE, 2009.
• Olde Riekerink, M. B.; Lansdorp, B.; de Vreede, L. J.; Blom, M. T.; van't Oever, R.; Ackermann, M. D.; Collon, M. J.; Wallace, K. & Bavdaz, M., Production of silicon mirror plates, Proc. of SPIE Vol. 7437 (2009).
• M. Bavdaz, Ph. Gondoin, K. Wallace, T. Oosterbroek, D. Lumb, D. Martin, P.Verhoeve, L. Puig, L. Torres Soto, A.N. Parmar, ‘IXO system studies and technology preparation’, Proc. of SPIE Vol. 7437 (2009).
• Kotska Wallace, Marcos Bavdaz, Philippe Gondoin, Maximilien J. Collon, Ramses Günther, Marcelo Ackermann, Marco W. Beijersbergen, Mark Olde Riekerink, Marko Blom, Bob Lansdorp, Lennart de Vreede, Silicon Pore Optics Development, Proc. of SPIE Vol. 7437 (2009).
• Maximilien J. Collon, Ramses Günther, Marcelo Ackermann, Rakesh Partapsing, Chris Kelly, Marco W. Beijersbergen, Marcos Bavdaz, Kotska Wallace, Mark Olde Riekerink, Peter Müller, Michael Krumrey, Stacking of Silicon Pore Optics for IXO, Proc. of SPIE Vol. 7437 (2009).
• Dirk Kampf, Markus Erhard, Marcos Bavdaz, Kotska Wallace, Philippe Gondoin, Maximilien J. Collon, Optical Bench Elements (Petals) for IXO, Proc. of SPIE Vol. 7437 (2009).
• Marcelo D. Ackermann, Maximilien J. Collon, Ramses Günther, Rakesh Partapsing, Giuseppe, Vacanti, Ernst-Jan Buis, Michael Krumrey, Peter Müller, Marco W. Beijersbergen, Marcos Bavdaz, Kotska Wallace, Performanceprediction and measurement of silicon pore optics, Proc. SPIE 7437, (2009).
• M. Bavdaz, D. Lumb, K. Wallace, E. J. Buis, G. Vacanti, M. Beijersbergen, and M. Collon. Large effective area high angular resolution x-ray optics. In Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) Conference Series, volume 7011 of Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) Confer, August 2008.
• M. J. Collon, R. Günther, M. Ackermann, E. J. Buis, G. Vacanti, M. Beijersbergen, M. Bavdaz, K. Wallace, M. Freyberg, and M. Krumrey. Performance of silicon pore optics. In Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) Conference Series, volume 7011 of Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) Confer, August 2008.
• D. H. Lumb, C. P. Jensen, M. Krumrey, L. Cibik, F. Christensen, M. Collon, and M. Bavdaz. Low atomic number coating for XEUS silicon pore optics. In Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) Conference Series, volume 7011 of Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) Confer, August 2008.
• M. J. Collon, R. Günther, S. Kraft, M. Beijersbergen, M. Bavdaz, K. Wallace, M. Krumrey, and M. Freyberg. Silicon pore optics for astrophysical x-ray missions. In Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) Conference Series, volume 6688 of Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) Confer, September 2007.
• M. Bavdaz, D. H. Lumb, P. Gondoin, A. Lyngvi, N. Rando, A. J. Peacock, T. van der Laan, K. M. Wallace, A. L. Mieremet, S. S. R. Oemrawsingh, M. Beijersbergen, M. J. Collon, S. Kraft, R. Graue, D. Kampf, and M. Freyberg. The XEUS x-ray telescope. In M. J. L. Turner and G. Hasinger, editors, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation II: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray. Edited by Turner, Martin J. L.; Hasinger, Günther. Proceedings of the SPIE, Volume 6266, pages 499–508, July 2006.
• M. Bavdaz, A. L. Mieremet, S. S. R. Oemrawsingh, D. H. Lumb, T. van der Laan, A. J. Peacock, and M. Beijersbergen. Use of silicon pore optics for a SF class deployed telescope. In M. J. L. Turner and G. Hasinger, editors, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation II: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray. Edited by Turner, Martin J. L.; Hasinger, Günther. Proceedings of the SPIE, Volume 6266, July 2006.
• M. J. Collon, S. Kraft, R. Günther, E. Maddox, M. Beijersbergen, M. Bavdaz, D. H. Lumb, K. M. Wallace, M. K. Krumrey, L. Cibik, and M. Freyberg. Performance characterization of silicon pore optics. In M. J. L. Turner and G. Hasinger, editors, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation II: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray. Edited by Turner, Martin J. L.; Hasinger, Günther. Proceedings of the SPIE, Volume 6266, pages 509–517, July 2006.
• M. J. Collon, S. Kraft, R. Günther, R. Partapsing, M. Beijersbergen, C. van Baren, M. Bavdaz, K. M. Wallace, D. Kampf, M. K. Krumrey, and P. Müller. Metrology, integration, and performance verification of silicon pore optics in Wolter-I configuration. In M. J. L. Turner and G. Hasinger, editors, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation II: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray. Edited by Turner, Martin J. L.; Hasinger, Günther. Proceedings of the SPIE, Volume 6266, pages 366–373, July 2006.
• M. Freyberg, B. Budau, W. Burkert, G. Hartner, G. Hasinger, M. J. Collon, S. Kraft, M. Beijersbergen, M. Bavdaz, D. H. Lumb, K. M. Wallace, and D. Kampf. Potential of the PANTER x-ray test facility for calibration of instrumentation for XEUS. In M. J. L. Turner and G. Hasinger, editors, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation II: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray. Edited by Turner, Martin J. L.; Hasinger, Günther. Proceedings of the SPIE, Volume 6266, July 2006.
• R. Graue, D. Kampf, S. Kraft, M. J. Collon, M. Beijersbergen, K. M. Wallace, D. H. Lumb, M. Bavdaz, and M. Freyberg. Assembling silicon pore optics into a modular structure. In M. J. L. Turner and G. Hasinger, editors, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation II: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray. Edited by Turner, Martin J. L.; Hasinger, Günther. Proceedings of the SPIE, Volume 6266, July 2006.
• R. Günther, M. J. Collon, S. Kraft, M. Beijersbergen, M. Bavdaz, D. H. Lumb, A. J. Peacock, and K. M. Wallace. Production of silicon pore optics. In M. J. L. Turner and G. Hasinger, editors, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation II: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray. Edited by Turner, Martin J. L.; Hasinger, Günther. Proceedings of the SPIE, Volume 6266, pages 374–381, July 2006.
• S. Kraft, M. J. Collon, M. Beijersbergen, M. Bavdaz, D. H. Lumb, K. M. Wallace, A. J. Peacock, M. K. Krumrey, and V. Lehmann. Programmatics of large scale production of silicon pore optics for future x-ray telescopes. In M. J. L. Turner and G. Hasinger, editors, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation II: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray. Edited by Turner, Martin J. L.; Hasinger, Günther. Proceedings of the SPIE, Volume 6266, pages 358–365, July 2006.
• D. H. Lumb, M. Bavdaz, F. E. Christensen, A. Dariel, P. Hoghoj, C. P. Jensen, M. K. Krumrey, K. K. Madsen, E. Ziegler, B. Albertin, S. Hedacq, M. J. Collon, and E. J. Buis. Multi-layer coating development for XEUS. In Space Telescopes and Instrumentation II: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray. Edited by Turner, Martin J. L.; Hasinger, Günther. Proceedings of the SPIE, Volume 6266, pp. (2006)., July 2006.
• M. Bavdaz, D. H. Lumb, K. M. Wallace, A. J. Peacock, M. Beijersbergen, and S. Kraft. The XEUS x-ray telescope. In O. Citterio and S. L. O’Dell, editors, Optics for EUV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Astronomy II. Edited by Citterio, Oberto; O’Dell, Stephen L. Proceedings of the SPIE, Volume 5900, pp. 288-296 (2005)., pages 288–296, August 2005.
• S. Kraft, M. J. Collon, R. Günther, M. Beijersbergen, M. Bavdaz, D. H. Lumb, K. M. Wallace, A. J. Peacock, M. K. Krumrey, M. Hoffmann, P. Müller, and V. Lehmann. Development of modular high-performance pore optics for the XEUS x-ray telescope. In O. Citterio and S. L. O’Dell, editors, Optics for EUV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Astronomy II. Edited by Citterio, Oberto; O’Dell, Stephen L. Proceedings of the SPIE, Volume 5900, pp. 297-308 (2005)., pages 297–308, August 2005.
• D. H. Lumb, M. Bavdaz, A. J. Peacock, E. J. Buis, M. Beijersbergen, S. Kraft, and G. Vacanti. Coatings for high energy space optics. In O. Citterio and S. L. O’Dell, editors, Optics for EUV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Astronomy II. Edited by Citterio, Oberto; O’Dell, Stephen L. Proceedings of the SPIE, Volume 5900, pp. 32-39 (2005)., pages 32–39, August 2005.
• A. L. Mieremet and M. Beijersbergen. Fundamental spatial resolution of an x-ray pore optic. Applied Optics, 44:7098–7105, November 2005.
• M. Bavdaz, D. H. Lumb, A. J. Peacock, M. Beijersbergen, and S. Kraft. Development of x-ray optics for the XEUS Mission. In A. A. Snigirev and D. C. Mancini, editors, Design and Microfabrication of Novel X-Ray Optics II. Edited by Snigirev, Anatoly A.; Mancini, Derrick C. Proceedings of the SPIE, Volume 5539, pp. 95-103 (2004)., pages 95–103, November 2004.
• M. Bavdaz, D. H. Lumb, A. J. Peacock, M. Beijersbergen, and S. Kraft. Status of x-ray optics development for the XEUS Mission. In G. Hasinger and M. J. L. Turner, editors, UV and Gamma-Ray Space Telescope Systems. Edited by Hasinger, Günther; Turner, Martin J. L. Proceedings of the SPIE, Volume 5488, pp. 829-836 (2004)., pages 829–836, October 2004.
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• M. Beijersbergen, S. Kraft, R. Günther, A. L. Mieremet, M. J. Collon, M. Bavdaz, D. H. Lumb, and A. J. Peacock. Silicon pore optics: novel lightweight high-resolution X-ray optics developed for XEUS. In G. Hasinger and M. J. L. Turner, editors, UV and Gamma-Ray Space Telescope Systems. Edited by Hasinger, Günther; Turner, Martin J. L. Proceedings of the SPIE, Volume 5488, pp. 868-874 (2004)., pages 868–874, October 2004.

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