The invention provides an optical reflector element for a beam of X-rays or of gamma-rays or of high-energy particles at grazing incidence, the element being constituted by a stack of superposed silicon plates. Each plate has a reflecting top face possibly coated with a metallic film, a multi-layer or a disperse grating and a bottom face carrying ribs forming spacers between two successive plates, and defining determined spacing between two successive reflecting faces. The invention also provides optical instruments comprising several such elements, in particular a type I Wolter telescope comprising two mirrors in tandem having respective paraboloid and hyperboloid surfaces of revolution or a conical approximation thereof or a Kirkpatrick-Beaz system.
The invention also applies to other wavelengths: gamma rays, and to high-energy particles; and not just for type I Wolter telescope if not tipe II Wolter telescope.
The invention shows accuracy similar to previous solutions, but at much lower weigh of the optics, obtaining a high quality polished surfaces. The production of compact and robust optical components for grazing incidence optics allows reducing production and integration costs. The "stack" configuration makes it possible to obtain a structure that is rigid, if so required, in which the desired shape is easily maintained, and for a weight that is lighter than that of prior art devices of comparable dimensions. The optics is modular and cheaper than the existing technology.
This invention provides an optical reflector element that must to be implemented in a x-ray analyzer system such a telescope, microscope or other device capable to construe the obtained data.
The invention is not limited to applications relating to space missions (observing X-ray sources or similar missions). The invention finds applications in numerous other fields: testing materials by means of X-rays, medical applications requiring the use of X-rays (X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography among others). The invention also applies to other wavelengths: gamma rays, and to high-energy particles.
Veronica La Regina
