Unlocking the potential of x-ray interferometry: manufacturing ultraflat slatted mirrors with silicon pore optics

Le résumé fourni par la source

X-ray interferometry has the potential to deliver unprecedented resolution. The design proposed by R. Willingale, which fits in a single spacecraft, relies on multi-layer slatted mirrors with stringent surface requirements. The SPO technology developed by cosine for ESA's NewAthena mission offers a great foundation for building such mirrors. SPO uses semiconductor-grade silicon wafers with extremely low surface roughness and thickness variation. They can be machined and cleaned with well-established processes, and bonded on top of each other. In partnership with TU Delft and SRON, cosine has recently manufactured prototype slatted mirrors, leveraging SPO equipment and processes such as Laser MicroJet, SC-1 clean and ion beam figuring. The manufacturing process is fundamentally compatible with a future multi-layer version. This paper presents the status of the optics manufacturing and outlines the key technological steps needed to achieve the optics of the proposed XRIstel mission.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.