This PDF file contains the front matter associated with SPIE Proceedings Volume 8861 including the Title Page, Copyright information, Table of Contents, Introduction, and Conference Committee listing.

The next generation of Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescope will explore the uppermost end of the Very High Energy domain up to about few hundreds of TeV with unprecedented sensitivity, angular resolution and imaging quality.

To this end, the Italian National Institute of Astrophysics (INAF) is currently developing a scientific and technological telescope prototype for the implementation of the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) observatory. The Italian ASTRI program foresees the full design, development, installation and calibration of a Small Size 4-meter class Telescope, adopting an aplanatic, wide-field, double-reflection optical layout in a Schwarzschild-Couder configuration.

In this paper we discuss about the technological solutions adopted for the telescope and for the mirrors. In particular we focus on the structural and electro-mechanical design of the telescope, now under fabrication. The results on the optical performance derived from mirror prototypes are here described, too.

The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) is the next generation very high-energy gamma-ray observatory, with at least 10 times higher sensitivity than current instruments. CTA will comprise several tens of Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (IACTs) operated in array-mode and divided into three size classes: large, medium and small telescopes. The total reflective surface could be up to 10,000 m² requiring unprecedented technological efforts. The properties of the reflector directly influence the telescope performance and thus constitute a fundamental ingredient to improve and maintain the sensitivity. The R&D status of lightweight, reliable and cost-effective mirror facets for the CTA telescope reflectors for the different classes of telescopes is reviewed in this paper.

The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) is the next generation ground-based observatory for very high-energy (E>100 GeV) gamma-ray astronomy. It will integrate several tens of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACTs) with different apertures into a single astronomical instrument. The US part of the CTA collaboration has proposed and is developing a novel IACT design with a Schwarzschild-Couder (SC) aplanatic two-mirror optical system. In comparison with the traditional single mirror Davies-Cotton IACT the SC telescope, by design, can accommodate a wider field-of-view, with significantly improved imaging resolution. In addition, the reduced plate scale of an SC telescope makes it compatible with highly integrated cameras assembled from silicon photo multipliers. In this submission we report on the status of the development of the SC optical system, which is part of the e ort to construct a full-scale prototype telescope of this type at the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory in southern Arizona.

In support of improved gamma-ray detectors for astrophysics and observations of Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes (TGFs), we have designed a new approach for the collection and detection of optical photons from scintillators such as Sodium Iodide and Lanthanum Bromide using a light concentrator coupled to an Avalanche photodiode (APD). The APD has many advantages over traditional photomultiplier tubes such as their low power consumption, their compact size, their durability, and their very high quantum efficiency. The difficulty in using these devices in gamma-ray astronomy has been coupling their relatively small active area to the large scintillators necessary for gamma-ray science. Our solution is to use an acrylic Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CPC) to match the large output area of the scintillation crystal to the smaller photodiode. These non-imaging light concentrators exceed the light concentration of focused optics and are light and inexpensive to produce. We present our results from the analysis and testing of such a system including gains in light collecting efficiency, energy resolution of nuclear decay lines, as well as our design for a new, fast TGF detector.

This paper summarizes the development of a successful project, LAUE, supported by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and devoted to the development of long foca length (up to 100—m) Laue lenses for hard X–/soft gamma– ray astronomy (80-600 keV). The apparatus is ready and the assembling of a prototype lens petal is ongoing. The great achievement of this project is the use of bent crystals. From measurements obtained on single crystals and from simulations, we have estimated the expected Point Spread Function and thus the sensitivity of a lens made of petals. The expected sensitivity is a few ×10⁻⁸ photons cm⁻² s⁻¹ keV⁻¹). We discuss a number of open astrophysical questions that can settled with such an instrument aboard a free-flying satellite.

We will describe the LAUE project, supported by the Italian Space Agency, whose aim is to demonstrate the capability to build a focusing optics in the hard X-/soft gamma-ray domain (80{600 keV). To show the lens feasibility, the assembling of a Laue lens petal prototype with 20 m focal length is ongoing. Indeed, a feasibility study, within the LAUE project, has demonstrated that a Laue lens made of petals is feasible. Our goal is a lens in the 80-600 keV energy band. In addition to a detailed description of the new LARIX facility, in which the lens is being assembled, we will report the results of the project obtained so far.

The development of wide band Laue lens imaging technology is challenging, but has important potential applications in hard X- and γ-ray space instrumentation for the coming decades. The Italian Space Agency has funded a project dedicated to the development of a reliable technology to assemble a wide band Laue lens for use in space. The ground support equipment (GSE) for this project was fundamental to its eventual success... The GSE was implemented in a hard X-ray beam line built at the University of Ferrara and had the main purpose of controlling the assembly of crystals onto the Laue lens petal and to verify its final performance. The GSE incorporates the management and control of all the movements of the beam line mechanical subsystems and of the precision positioner (based on a Hexapod tool) of crystals on the petal, as well as the acquisition, storing and analysis of data obtained from the focal plane detectors (an HPGe spectrometer and an X-ray flat panel imager). The GSE is based on two PC’s connected through a local network: one, placed inside the beam line, to which all the movement subsystems and the detector I/O interface and on which all the management and acquisition S/W runs, the other in the control room allows the remote control and implements the offline analysis S/W of the data obtained from the detectors. Herein we report on the GSE structure with its interface with the beam line mechanical system, with the fine crystal positioner and with the focal plane detector. Furthermore we describe the SW developed for the handling of the mechanical movement subsystems and for the analysis of the detector data with the procedure adopted for the correct orientation of the crystals before their bonding on the lens petal support.

In the context of the LAUE project for focusing hard X-/gamma rays, a petal of the complete lens is being assembled at the LARIX facility in the Department of Physics and Earth Science of the University of Ferrara. The lens petal structure is composed of bent Germanium and Gallium Arsenide crystals in transmission geometry. We present the expectations derived from a mathematical model of the lens petal. The extension of the model for the complete LAUE project in the 90 – 600 keV energy range will be discussed as well. A quantitative analysis of the results of these simulations is also presented.

For the first time, with the Laue project, bent crystals are being used for focusing photons in the 80-300 keV energy range. The advantage is their high reflectivity and better Point Spread Function with respect to the mosaic at crystals. Simulations have already shown their excellent focusing capability which makes them the best candidates for a Laue lens whose sensitivity is also driven by the size of the focused spot. Selected crystals are Germanium (perfect, (111)) and Gallium Arsenide (mosaic, (220)) with 40 m curvature radius to get a spherical lens with 20 m long focal length. A lens petal is being built. We report the measurement technique by which we are able to estimate the exact curvature of each tile within a few percent of uncertainty and their diffraction efficiency. We also discuss some results.

Quasi-mosaicity is a mechanical property driven by anisotropy in diamond-like structure crystals such as Si and Ge. QM crystals were recently proposed as optical components of a Laue lens for focusing hard X-rays (with energy larger than 70 keV). In contrast to a Laue lens based on conventional crystals (e.g. mosaic crystals), usage of QM crystals allows focusing the incident beam in a spot smaller than the dimension of the diffracting crystal. Focusing of photons in a small spot would allow an unprecedented resolution and sensitivity, together with a wide-passband response. In astrophysics, a Laue lens implementing QM crystals should allow observations of cosmic phenomena producing X-ray emissions with high sensitivity. As another, a Laue lens would be useful for imaging in nuclear medicine, leading to a lower radioactive dose imparted to the patient because of no need for tomography scanning. Quasi-mosaicity was also used for bending Si crystals in order to steer high-energy particles via coherent effects in crystals, viz. planar channeling and volume reflection. Channeled or reflected light particles are also useful as sources of gamma ray beams with intense flux, which can be either monochromatic or polychromatic.

A series of quasi-mosaic curved crystals has been fabricated for the Laue project to build up a prototype of a Laue lens. Curvature has been imparted to the samples thanks to the grooving method, which makes it possible to realize self-standing curved plates. Samples are 10 × 30 × 2 mm³ Ge crystals characterized by two curvatures of different crystallographic planes. The primary curvature allows the focalization of the diffracted X-rays on a focal spot smaller than the crystal dimension. The secondary curvature, i.e. quasi-mosaic curvature, amplifies the diffraction efficiency by more than one order of magnitude with respect to an equivalent crystal without quasi-mosaic curvature.

In a Laue lens made by single crystals oriented to diffract parallel x-rays at the lens focus, the energy and angular resolution are limited by the crystal size and by the crystal mosaicity. The use of extended crystals bent according to the lens curvature provides a better focusing, with the resolution given essentially by the crystal mosaicity. With this approach a crystal mosaicity as low as 15-25 arcseconds, well below the mosaicity value of copper crystals, was found suitable for the new design of the Laue lens. The reflectivity and transmission profiles and the integrated intensity have been measured in flat and bent GaAs and Si crystals prepared by the method of surface damaging by using sandpaper of different grain size. The surface grinding induces a local lattice strain which produces a self standing bent crystal. Bent crystals with radius of curvature lower than a critical value given by the extinction length behave as perfect mosaic crystals or strongly bent perfect crystals, maximizing the diffraction efficiency at high x-ray energies. It is found that the surface grinding does not affect the crystal diffraction efficiency, the damage thickness being limited to a few tens microns near the crystal surface.

Curved crystals used as optical elements of a Laue lens for hard x- and gamma-ray astronomy have a larger diffraction efficiency with respect to perfect flat crystals. In this work we show how to achieve the bending of the crystals by a controlled surface damaging which introduces defects in a superficial layer of few tens micrometers in thickness undergoing a highly compressive strain. Several silicon, gallium arsenide and germanium wafer crystals have been treated. The local and mean curvature radii of each sample have been determined by means of high resolution x-ray diffraction measurements in Bragg condition at low energy (8 keV). (100) oriented silicon and (111) oriented germanium samples showed spherical curvatures, whereas (100) oriented GaAs treated samples evidenced an elliptical curvature with major axes corresponding to the <011< crystallographic directions. Curvature radii between 3 and 70 m were easily obtained in wafers with thicknesses up to 2 mm. Several 3x1x0.2 cm³ GaAs crystals (100) oriented with a radius of curvature of 40 m were prepared for the Laue Lens. Using a x-ray tube set at a distance of 20 m from the crystal for the first time the focusing of the (022) diffracted beam at a distance of 20 m was observed.

We report on the status of the Laue lens development effort led by UC Berkeley, where a dedicated X-ray beamline and a Laue lens assembly station were built. This allowed the realization of a first lens prototype in June 2012. Based on this achievement, and thanks to a new NASA APRA grant, we are moving forward to enable Laue lenses. Several parallel activities are in progress. Firstly, we are refining the method to glue quickly and accurately crystals on a lens substrate. Secondly, we are conducting a study of high-Z crystals to diffract energies up to 900 keV efficiently. And thirdly, we are exploring new concepts of Si-based lenses that could further improve the focusing capabilities, and thus the sensitivity of Laue lenses.

Cosine has developed the technology to bend and directly bond Si mirror plates in order to produce stiff, lightweight Xray optics which are used for large area space based X-ray telescopes. This technology, Silicon Pore Optics (SPO), also allows us to produce other types of high energy optics. Here we present the latest developments in the design and manufacture of a new generation of soft gamma-ray Laue lenses made using SPO technology named Silicon Laue lens Components: SiLC.

The bending and bonding of 300 μm thin Si single crystals allows us to fabricate a single crystal with radially curved crystal planes, which strongly improves the focusing properties of a Laue lens. The size of the focal spot is no longer determined by the size of the individual single crystals, but by the accuracy of the applied curvature, which is as low as a few seconds of arc. Furthermore, a wedge is incorporated in each individual Si crystal to ensure that all crystals are confocal in the radial direction. A secondary curvature in the axial direction can be used to improve the reflectivity of each crystal, and increase the reflected energy bandwidth.

We present the first SiLC crystals which will be manufactured in the fall of 2013. These are technology demonstrators designed for 125 keV radiation, 3.4m focal length and 600mm² frontal area. The first measurements at synchrotron radiation facilities are planned for November 2013. With these first prototype lenses we want to demonstrate that the SPO stacking technology can be successfully applied to non-ribbed Si wafer plates and subsequently demonstrate the correct focusing in Laue geometry of both the wedges and radial curvature.

ASTRO-H is an astrophysics satellite dedicated for non-dispersive X-ray spectroscopic study on selective celestial X-ray sources. Among the onboard instruments there are four Wolter-I X-ray mirrors of their reflectors’ figure in conical approximation. Two of the four are soft X-ray mirrors¹, of which the energy range is from a few hundred eV to 15 keV. The focal point instruments will be a calorimeter (SXS) and a CCD camera (SXI), respectively. The mirrors were in quadrant configuration with photons being reflected consecutively in the primary and secondary stage before landing on the focal plane of 5.6 m away from the interface between the two stages. The reflectors of the mirror are made of heat-formed aluminum substrate of the thickness gauged of 152 μm, 229 μm, and 305 μm of the alloy 5052 H-19, followed by epoxy replication on gold-sputtered smooth Pyrex cylindrical mandrels to acquire the X-ray reflective surface. The epoxy layer is 10 μm nominal and surface gold layer of 0.2 μm. Improvements on angular response over its predecessors, e.g. Astro-E1/Suzaku mirrors, come from error reduction on the figure, the roundness, and the grazing angle/radius mismatching of the reflecting surface, and tighter specs and mechanical strength on supporting structure to reduce the reflector positioning and the assembly errors.

Each soft x-ray telescope (SXT), FM1 or FM2, were integrated from four independent quadrants of mirrors. The stray-light baffles, in quadrant configuration, were mounted onto the integrated mirror. Thermal control units were attached to the perimeter of the integrated mirror to keep the mirror within operating temperature in space. The completed instrument went through a series of optical alignment, thus made the quadrant images confocal and their optical axes in parallel to achieve highest throughput possible. Environmental tests were carried out, and optical quality of the telescopes has been confirmed. The optical and x-ray calibrations also include: angular resolution, effective area in the energy range of ~ 0.4 – 12keV, off-axis response, etc. Some of those are being carried out by our counterpart at JAXA/ISAS, Japan. We report the calibration results of the FM1 and FM2 that were obtained at Goddard Space Flight Center.

We report a first result from a ground-based X-ray calibration of the ASTRO-H Hard X-ray Telescope (HXT) at a synchrotron radiation facility SPring-8. ASTRO-H, to be launched in 2015, is Japan’s sixth X-ray satellite mission following to Suzaku satellite. One of the features of ASTRO-H is a simultaneous observation between 0.3 keV to 600 keV with several instruments. ASTRO-H will carry two HXTs to cover hard x-rays up to 80 keV. HXT, which is one of the key instruments in ASTRO-H, is the conically approximated Wolter-I grazing incidence optics similar to the Suzaku X-ray telescope. Reflector surfaces are coated with depth-graded Platinum and Carbon multilayer to reflect hard X-rays efficiently. The integrations of the flight optics of HXT-1 and HXT- 2 were completed, and we performed a ground calibration of HXT-1 at a synchrotron facility, SPring-8 beamline BL20B2 to build a response function of HXT. We use a raster scan method with a pencil beam at the baseline length of 215m. A point spread function and effective area were measured at 30, 40, 50, 60, 70keV. From a preliminary analysis of the data, an angular resolution of 1.5 - 1.9 arcmin. was obtained at five energy band in the full telescope. The effective area is 170 cm² at 30 keV and 82 cm² at 50 keV, respectively. The effective area at 30 and 50 keV are about 13 % and 50 % larger than expected, respectively. We also measured the stray light from outside of field of view at 12’ and 20’ of-axis angle. We confirmed the effectiveness of pre-collimator to reduce the stray lights.

The eROSITA X-ray observatory that will be launched on board the Russian Spectrum-RG mission comprises seven X-ray telescopes, each with its own mirror assembly (mirror module + X-ray baffle), electron deflector, filter wheel, and CCD camera with its control electronics. The completed flight mirror modules are undergoing many thorough X-ray tests at the PANTHER X-ray test facility after delivery, after being mated with the X-ray baffle, and again after both the vibration and thermal-vacuum tests. A description of the work done with mirror modules/assemblies and the test results obtained will be reported here. We report also on the environmental tests that have been performed on the eROSITA telescope qualification model.

The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is developing x-ray mirror modules for the ART-XC instrument on board the Spectrum-Roentgen Gamma Mission. Four of those modules are being fabricated under a Reimbursable Agreement between NASA and the Russian Space Research Institute (IKI.) An additional three flight modules and one spare for the ART-XC Instrument are produced under a Cooperative Agreement between NASA and IKI. The instrument will consist of seven co-aligned x-ray mirror modules with seven corresponding CdTe focal plane detectors. Each module consists of 28 nested thin Ni/Co shells giving an effective area of 65 cm² at 8 keV, response out to 30 keV, and an angular resolution of 45 arcsec or better HPD. Delivery of the first four modules is scheduled for November 2013, while the remaining three modules will be delivered to IKI in January 2014. We present a status of the ART x-ray module development at MSFC.

Future high energy astrophysics missions will require high performance novel X-ray optics to explore the Universe beyond the limits of the currently operating Chandra and Newton observatories. Innovative optics technologies are therefore being developed and matured by the European Space Agency (ESA) in collaboration with research institutions and industry, enabling leading-edge future science missions.

Silicon Pore Optics (SPO) [1 to 21] and Slumped Glass Optics (SGO) [22 to 29] are lightweight high performance X-ray optics technologies being developed in Europe, driven by applications in observatory class high energy astrophysics missions, aiming at angular resolutions of 5” and providing effective areas of one or more square meters at a few keV.

This paper reports on the development activities led by ESA, and the status of the SPO and SGO technologies, including progress on high performance multilayer reflective coatings [30 to 35]. In addition, the progress with the X-ray test facilities and associated beam-lines is discussed [36].

Silicon Pore Optics is an enabling technology for future L- and M-class astrophysics X-ray missions, which require high angular resolution (~5 arc seconds) and large effective area (1 to 2 m² at a few keV). The technology exploits the high-quality of super-polished 300 mm silicon wafers and the associated industrial mass production processes, which are readily available in the semiconductor industry. The plan-parallel wafers have a surface roughness better than 0.1 nm rms and are diced, structured, wedged, coated, bent and stacked to form modular Silicon Pore Optics, which can be grouped into a larger optic. The modules are assembled from silicon alone, with all the mechanical advantages, and form an intrinsically stiff pore structure.

The optics design was initially based on long (25 to 50 m) focal length X-ray telescopes, which could achieve several arc second angular resolution by curving the silicon mirror in only one direction (conical approximation).

Recently shorter focal length missions (10 to 20 m) have been discussed, for which we started to develop Silicon Pore Optics having a secondary curvature in the mirror, allowing the production of Wolter-I type optics, which are on axis aberration-free.

In this paper we will present the new manufacturing process, the results achieved and the lessons learned.

X-ray optics is an essential component of every conceivable future x-ray observatory. Its astronomical utility is measured with two quantities: angular resolution and photon collecting area. The angular resolution determines the quality of its images and the photon collecting area determines the faintest sources it is capable of detecting and studying. Since it must be space-borne, the resources necessary to realize an x-ray mirror assembly, such as mass and volume, are at a premium. In this paper we report on a technology development program designed to advance four metrics that measure the capability of an x-ray mirror technology: (1) angular resolution, (2) mass per unit photon collecting area, (3) volume per unit photon collecting area, and (4) production cost per unit photon collecting area.

We have adopted two approaches. The first approach uses the thermal slumping of thin glass sheets. It has advantages in mass, volume, and cost. The objective for this approach is improving its angular resolution. As of August 2013, we have been able to consistently build and test with x-ray beams modules that contain three co-aligned Wolter-I parabolichyperbolic mirror pairs, achieving a point spread function (PSF) of 11 arc-second half-power diameter (HPD), to be compared with the 17 arc-seconds we reported last year. If gravity distortion during x-ray tests is removed, these images would have a resolution of 9 arc-seconds, meeting requirements for a 10 arc-second flight mirror assembly. These modules have been subjected to a series of vibration, acoustic, and thermal vacuum tests.

The second approach is polishing and light-weighting single crystal silicon, a material that is commercially available, inexpensive, and without internal stress. This approach has advantages in angular resolution, mass, and volume, and objective is reducing fabrication cost to make it financially feasible to fabricate the ~10³ m² mirror area that would be required for a future major x-ray observatory.

The overall objective of this technology program is to enable missions in the upcoming years with a 10 arc-second angular resolution, and missions with ~1 arc-second angular resolution in the 2020s.

Lightweight and high resolution optics are needed for future space-based X-ray telescopes to achieve advances in highenergy astrophysics. The Next Generation X-ray Optics (NGXO) team at NASA GSFC is nearing mission readiness for a 10 arc-second Half Power Diameter (HPD) slumped glass mirror technology while laying the groundwork for a future 1-2 arc-second technology based on polished silicon mirrors. Technology Development Modules (TDMs) have been designed, fabricated, integrated with mirrors segments, and extensively tested to demonstrate technology readiness. Tests include X-ray performance, thermal vacuum, acoustic load, and random vibration. The thermal vacuum and acoustic load environments have proven relatively benign, while the random vibration environment has proven challenging due to large input amplification at frequencies above 500 Hz. Epoxy selection, surface preparation, and larger bond area have increased bond strength while vibration isolation has decreased vibration amplification allowing for space launch requirements to be met in the near term.

The next generation of TDMs, which demonstrates a lightweight structure supporting more mirror segments, is currently being fabricated. Analysis predicts superior performance characteristics due to the use of E-60 Beryllium-Oxide Metal Matrix Composite material, with only a modest cost increase. These TDMs will be larger, lighter, stiffer, and stronger than the current generation.

Preliminary steps are being taken to enable mounting and testing of 1-2 arc-second mirror segments expected to be available in the future. A Vertical X-ray Test Facility (VXTF) will minimize mirror gravity distortion and allow for less constrained mirror mounts, such as fully kinematic mounts. Permanent kinematic mounting into a modified TDM has been demonstrated to achieve 2 arc-second level distortion free alignment.

A Four-stage X-ray Telescope (FXT) has been developed as the best-fit optics for the Diffuse Intergalactic Oxygen Surveyor (DIOS) mission, a small satellite mission for mapping observations of the warm-hot intergalactic medium. The FXT mirrors are based on a conical approximation of the Wolter-I design, fabrication technique used in the Suzaku satellite. We developed processes for fabricating a large-diameter (≥ 50 cm) foil mirror and made a new full size quadrant housing 60 cm in diameter with four-stage integrated alignment plates. We made optical measurement using one set of four-stage mirrors over than diameter of more than 50 cm.

Future X-ray telescopes need to combine large collecting area with good angular resolution. In order to achieve these aims within the mass limit, light-weight materials are needed for mirror production. We are developing a technology based on indirect hot slumping of thin glass segments; this method enables the production of the parabolic and hyperbolic part of the Wolter type I mirrors in one piece. Currently we use a combination of a porous ceramic for the slumping mould and the glass type D263 for the mirror material. In this study we use glasses that have been polished on one side to remove thickness variations in the glass, in order to investigate their influence on the results. We describe the experimental set-up, the slumping process and the metrology methods. Finally we present the results of an X-ray test of several integrated glass sheets, and give an outlook on future activities.

Molding glass by using air bearings is a promising procedure for inexpensive and high precision glass shaping. Thin glass sheets are sandwiched between air bearings and pushed flat while being thermally cycled. In this study, a novel device for shaping glass is created and tested using 0.5 mm thick, 100 mm round, Schott D263 wafers. Numerous samples were shaped with varying values for bearing-to-glass gap and maximum temperature, and were measured with a Shack Hartmann metrology tool. Glass was shaped with bearing-to-glass gaps of >50 μm, 36±2.5 μm, and 30.5±2.5 μm. The best peak-to-valley (P-V) flatness achieved is 6.7/3.6±0.5 μm for front/back of the glass sheet, using a gap of 36±2.5 μm. The average steady-state P-V achieved is 12 μm. Using the same device parameters, the best repeatability achieved over the whole 100 mm wafer is 2.7±0.5 μm P-V and 9.5 arcseconds RMS slope error. When looking at 60 mm sections, the repeatability improves to <1 μm P-V and 5±0.5 arcsec.

The Hot Slumping Technology is under development by several research groups in the world for the realization of X-ray segmented mirrors, based on thin glass plates: during the process of slumping, a glass foil is shaped over a mould at temperatures above its transformation point. The performed thermal cycle and related operations might have effects on the strength characteristics of the glass, with consequences on the structural design of the elemental optical module and consecutively on the whole X-ray telescope. No reference technical literature exists for this particular aspect since the strength of glass depends on several parameters connected to any of the manufacturing and glass history stages, such as the distribution of surface flaws or the residual internal stresses. It is therefore extremely important to test the mechanical strength of the glass plates after they underwent the slumping process. The Astronomical Observatory of Brera (INAFOAB, Merate - Italy) started a deep analysis of this aspect, with the collaboration of Stazione Sperimentale del Vetro (SSV, Murano - Italy) and BCV Progetti (Milano - Italy). The entire study has been realized on borosilicate glass D263 by Schott, largely considered for the realization of next-generation IXO-like X-ray telescope. More than 200 slumped plates of dimension 100 mm x 100 mm and thickness 0.4 mm, both flat and curved, have been produced and tested; the collected experimental data have been compared to non-linear FEM analyses and treated with Weibull statistics, giving the strength data necessary to assess the current IXO glass X-ray telescope design, in terms of survival probability, when subject to static and acoustic load characteristic of the launch phase. The paper describes the activities performed and presents the obtained results.

Achieving both high resolution and large collection area in the next generation of x-ray telescopes requires highly accurate shaping of thin mirrors, which is not achievable with current technology. Ion implantation offers a promising method of modifying the shape of mirrors by imparting internal stresses in a substrate, which are a function of the ion species and dose. This technique has the potential for highly deterministic substrate shape correction using a rapid, low cost process. Wafers of silicon and glass (D-263 and BK-7) have been implanted with Si+ ions at 150 keV, and the changes in shape have been measured using a Shack-Hartmann metrology system. We show that a uniform dose over the surface repeatably changes the spherical curvature of the substrates, and we show correction of spherical curvature in wafers. Modeling based on experiments with spherical curvature correction shows that ion implantation could be used to eliminate higher-order shape errors, such as astigmatism and coma, by using a spatially-varying implant dose. We will report on progress in modelling and experimental tests to eliminate higher-order shape errors. In addition, the results of experiments to determine the thermal and temporal stability of implanted substrates will be reported.

Nearly all X-ray astronomy missions of the past 25 years have utilized grazing incidence telescopes which use the principle of nested shells to maximize the collecting area. Most of these missions have had multiple X-ray telescopes, e.g. ASCA¹, Beppo-SAX², Suzaku³, XMM-Newton⁴, NuStar⁵, and also upcoming missions Astro-H⁶ and Spectrum-Röentgen-Gamma⁷. Multiple telescopes, which favor replication, may continue to be the appropriate architecture of some future missions. XMM-Newton and the upcoming Spectrum-Röentgen-Gamma mission use an electroformed nickel replication (ENR) process to fabricate their X-ray telescope mirror shells, a process which has achieved the best angular resolution to date for replicated telescopes. We are developing a process to fabricate metal-ceramic replicated optics which will be lighter weight than current nickel replicated technology. They will be stiffer than the XMM mirrors, which we expect will result in better angular resolution. Recent results on fabrication and testing of these optics is presented.

The implementation of a X-ray mission with high imaging capabilities, similar to those achieved with Chandra (< 1 arcsec Half Energy Width, HEW), but with a much larger throughput is a very attractive perspective, even if challenging. For such a mission the scientific opportunities, in particular for the study of the early Universe, would remain at the state of the art for the next decades. At the beginning of the new millennium the XEUS mission has been proposed, with an effective area of several m² and an angular resolution better than 2 arcsec HEW. Unfortunately, after the initial study, this mission was not implemented, mainly due to the costs and the low level of technology readiness. Currently the most advanced proposal for such a kind of mission is the SMART-X project, led by CfA and involving several other US Institutes. This project is based on adjustable segments of thin foil mirrors with piezo-electric actuators, aiming to achieve an effective area < 2 m² at 1 keV and an angular resolution better than 1 arcsec HEW. Another attractive technology to realize an X-ray telescope with similar characteristics is being developed at NASA/Goddard. In this case the mirrors are based on Si substrates that are super-polished and figured starting from a bulky Si ingot, from which they are properly cut. Here we propose an alternative method based on precise direct grinding, figuring and polishing of thin (a few mm) glass shells with innovative deterministic polishing methods. This is followed by a final correction via ion figuring to obtain the desired accuracy in order to achieve the 1 arc sec HEW requirement. For this purpose, a temporary stiffening structure is used to support the shell from the polishing operations up to its integration in the telescope supporting structure. We will present the technological process under development, the results achieved so far and some mission scenarios based on this kind of optics, aiming to achieve an effective area more than 10 times larger than Chandra and an angular resolution of 1 arcsec HEW on axis and of a few arcsec off-axis across a large field of view (1 deg in diameter).

The large effective area requirement for future X-ray telescopes demands the production of thousands of segments made of a light material, shaped and integrated into the final optics. At INAF/Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera we developed a direct hot slumping technique assisted by pressure, to replicate the shape of a mould onto the optical surface of a glass mirror segment. To date, the best results were achieved with a mould in Zerodur K20 and glass foils made of aluminumborosilicate glass type AF32 by Schott. Nevertheless, several factors in the fabrication process trigger deviations from the desired surface micro-roughness. A dip-coating technique is investigated to improve the surface smoothness and consequently the imaging properties of the mirror. In this paper we describe the coating technique, the different implemented processes and the results obtained.

Next generation’s lightweight, high resolution, high throughput optics for x-ray astronomy requires integration of very thin mirror segments into a lightweight telescope housing without distortion. Thin glass substrates with linear dimension of 200 mm and thickness as small as 0.4 mm can now be fabricated to a precision of a few arc-seconds for grazing incidence optics. Subsequent implementation requires a distortion-free deposition of metals such as iridium or platinum. These depositions, however, generally have high coating stresses that cause mirror distortion. In this paper, we discuss the coating stress on these thin glass mirrors and the effort to eliminate their induced distortion. It is shown that balancing the coating distortion either by coating films with tensile and compressive stresses, or on both sides of the mirrors is not sufficient. Heating the mirror in a moderately high temperature turns out to relax the coated films reasonably well to a precision of about a second of arc and therefore provide a practical solution to the coating problem.

Current areas of intense research in astrophysics such as understanding evolution of the large scale structure of the universe, detection and measurement of dark matter, the evolution of stars, and other areas of research will greatly benefit from affordable X-ray telescopes capable of high angular resolution and large collecting area. One approach to building such X-ray optics is currently under development at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) by the Next Generation X-ray Optics (NGXO) group. The design requires precision alignment and permanent mounting of thin, lightweight mirror segments. Technology Development Modules (TDM’s) containing three aligned and permanently mounted glass segment pairs have been constructed and tested to demonstrate segment alignment and permanent mounting procedures meet initial performance goals as well as survivability requirements. Improvements to the mirror segment alignment and mounting process in the past year are presented along with associated TDM X-ray performance test results as the near term goal of 10 arc-second optics is pursued. Mirror segment distortion caused by gravity in the module test configuration is shown to be a significant contributor to recent X-ray resolution measurements. Initial testing of future generation hardware designed for 1 arc-second angular resolution X-ray optics is also presented along with a concept for a facility capable of testing optics with significantly reduced mirror segment distortion caused by gravity.

Large modular optics made of thousands of mirror segments are a cornerstone of future x-ray mission concepts. In this project we focus on the integration and alignment of slumped glass wolter-1 segments into a mirror module. The two key issues of concern are the handling of a mirror segment during assembly, and the technology to permanently integrate the mirror segments with the supporting mirror module. Both steps can introduce significant shape error to the mirror. Our approach is based on the principle of minimizing distortions to the mirror by using a gravity compliand alignment setup and optimized interfaces. This paper is focused on basic requirements and recent integration experiments, of which analysis and results will be shown and future development discussed.

X-ray telescopes with very large collecting area, like the proposed International X-ray Observatory (IXO, with around 3 ^m2 at 1 keV), need to be composed of a large number high quality mirror segments, aiming at achieving an angular resolution better than 5 arcsec HEW (Half-Energy-Width). A possible technology to manufacture the modular elements that will compose the entire optical module, named X-ray Optical Units (XOUs), consists of stacking in Wolter-I configuration several layers of thin foils of borosilicate glass, previously formed by hot slumping. The XOUs are subsequently assembled to form complete multi-shell optics with Wolter-I geometry. The achievable global angular resolution of the optic relies on the required surface shape accuracy of slumped foils, on the smoothness of the mirror surfaces and on the correct integration and co-alignment of the mirror segments. The Brera Astronomical Observatory (INAF-OAB) is leading a study, supported by ESA, concerning the implementation of the IXO telescopes based on thin slumped glass foils. In addition to the opto-mechanical design, the study foresees the development of a direct hot slumping thin glass foils production technology. Moreover, an innovative assembly concept making use of Wolter-I counter-form moulds and glass reinforcing ribs is under development. The ribs connect pairs of consecutive foils in an XOU stack, playing a structural and a functional role. In fact, as the ribs constrain the foil profile to the correct shape during the bonding, they damp the low-frequency profile errors still present on the foil after slumping. A dedicated semirobotic Integration MAchine (IMA) has been realized to this scope and used to build a few integrated prototypes made of several layers of slumped plates. In this paper we provide an overview of the project, we report the results achieved so far, including full illumination intra-focus X-ray tests of the last integrated prototype that are compliant with a HEW of around 17’’.

A characterization procedures to test multilayers in the EUV and soft X-Ray wavelengths are theoretically studied in this paper. The fact that most candidate elements have absorption edge energies in the EUV and soft X-Ray has demanded extensive studies on the optical constants and their possible impact on multilayer design and reflectivity. Thus, EUV and soft X-Ray multilayers are preliminary designed and tested for various parameters. Effects and impacts of interface roughness, interlayer thickness, optical constants fluctuations, different phases of interlayer compounds on the reflectivity of multilayers are investigated in this piece of work. Two theoretical models are used each contributing different properties of the multilayers. Near absorption edge and off-absorption edge wavelengths are compared and contrasted to investigate what optical constants near the resonance edges can render in the EUV and soft X-Ray regime. Almost in all simulations the near absorption edge reflectivity have shown superior sensitivity to fluctuations of various design parameters. In addition, possible engineering tips of near absorption edge optical constants are indicated.

The ATHENA mission concept, now called ATHENA+, continues to be refined to address important questions in modern astrophysics. Previous studies have established that the requirement for effective area can be achieved using a combination of bi-layer coatings and/or simple graded multilayers. We find that further coating developments can improve on the baseline specifications and present here preliminary results on the optimization of coating design based on the new specifications of the ATHENA+ mission. The performances of several material combinations are investigated with the goal of maximizing the telescope effective area within the energy envelope of the mission and simulation of mirror performance is carried out.

A method of optimizing grazing incidence x-ray coatings in ground based axion helioscopes is presented. Software has been been developed to find the optimum coating when taking both axion spectrum and Micromegas detector quantum efficiency into account. A comparison of the relative effective area in the telescope using different multilayer material combinations is produced. Similar methods are used for IAXO, a planned axion helioscope. Additionally, the optimal focal length is modelled while taking into account the least possible background contribution from the detector.

We present our design scheme and fabrication of non-periodic multilayer with broad angular or energy bandwidth to demonstrate the potential application of such kind of multilayer for the hard X-ray telescopes. By using a proper optimization process, a non-periodic multilayer with boxcar angular response has been successfully designed. Such structure may provide 16% reflectivity with grazing angle from 1.0 to 1.5deg at energy point of 8.05keV. We also fabricated this structure by using our DC magnetron sputtering machine and tested it in our X-ray measurement system. The result shows a flat and smooth boxcar response in target band with standard deviation of 0.76%, which is convincing that such designing and fabrication processes we established can be applied to the supermirror with a flat boxcar response against the X-ray energy.

We present several concept designs of hard X-ray/soft λ-ray focusing telescopes for future astrophysics missions. The designs are based on depth graded multilayer coatings. These have been successfully employed on the NuSTAR mission for energies up to 80 keV. Recent advances in demonstrating theoretical reflectivities for candidate multilayer material combinations up to 400 keV including effects of incoherent scatter has given an experimental base for extending this type of designs to the soft λ-ray range. At the same time, the calibration of the in-flight performance of the NuSTAR mission has given a solid understanding and modelling of the relevant effects influencing the performance, including optical constants, roughness, scatter, non-uniformities and figure error. This allows for a realistic extension for designs going to much higher energies. Similarly, both thin slumped glass and silicon pore optics has been developed to a prototype stage which promises imaging resolution in the sub 10 arcsecond range. We present designs based on a 20 m and 50 m focal lengths with energy ranges up to 200 keV and 600 keV.

ASTRI is a Flagship Project of the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research, led by the Italian National Institute of Astrophysics, INAF. One of the main aims of the ASTRI Project is the design, construction and on-field verification of a dual mirror (2M) end-to-end prototype for the Small Size Telescope (SST) envisaged to become part of the Cherenkov Telescope Array. The ASTRI SST-2M prototype is designed according to the Schwarzschild-Couder optical scheme, and adopts a camera based on Silicon Photo Multipliers (SiPM); it will be assembled at the INAF astronomical site of Serra La Nave on mount Etna (Catania, Italy) in the second half of 2014, and will start scientific validation phase soon after. With its 4m wide primary dish, the telescope will be sensitive to multi-TeV Very High Energy (VHE) gamma rays up to 100 TeV and above, with a point spread function of ~2 arcminutes and a wide (semiaperture 4.8°) corrected field of view. The peculiarities of the optical design and of the SiPM bandpass pushed towards specifically optimized choices in terms of reflective coatings for both the primary and the secondary mirror. Fully dielectric multi-layer coatings have been developed and tested as an option for the primary mirror, aiming to filter out the large Night Sky Background contamination at wavelengths λ>~700 nm. On the other hand, for the large monolithic secondary mirror a simpler design with quartz-overcoated aluminium has been optimized for incidences far from normality. The conformation of the ASTRI camera in turn pushed towards the design of a reimaging system based on thin pyramidal light guides, that could be optionally integrated in the focal surface, aiming to increase the fill factor. An anti-reflective coating optimized for a wide range of incident angles faraway from normality was specifically developed to enhance the UV-optical transparency of these elements. The issues, strategy, simulations and experimental results are thoroughly presented.

Large area, high resolving power spectroscopy in the soft x-ray band can only be achieved with a state-of-the-art diffraction grating spectrometer, comprised of large collecting-area focusing optics with a narrow point spread function, large-area high-resolving power diffraction gratings, and small pixel, order sorting x-ray detectors. Recently developed critical-angle transmission (CAT) gratings combine the advantages of transmission gratings (low mass, relaxed figure and alignment tolerances) and blazed reflection gratings (high broad band diffraction efficiency, utilization of higher diffraction orders). Several new mission concepts containing CAT grating based spectrometers (AEGIS, AXSIO, SMART-X) promise to deliver unprecedented order-of-magnitude improvements in soft x-ray spectroscopy figures of merit related to the detection and characterization of emission and absorption lines, thereby addressing high-priority questions identified in the Astro2010 Decadal Survey “New Worlds New Horizons”. We review the current status of CAT grating fabrication, present recent fabrication results, and describe our plans and technology development roadmap for the coming year and beyond.

We report several break-through nanofabrication developments enabling high efficiency and high resolving power spectrometers in the soft x-ray band. The device is the critical-angle transmission (CAT) grating, which combines the low mass and relaxed alignment tolerances of a transmission grating with the high broad-band efficiency and high diffraction orders of a blazed reflection grating. Past work successfully demonstrated the CAT grating concept; however, the open-area fraction was often less than 20% whilst more than 50% is desired. This presents numerous nanofabrication challenges including a requirement for a freestanding silicon membrane of ultra high-aspect ratio bars at a period of 200 nanometers with minimal cross support blockage. Furthermore, the sidewalls must be smooth to a few nanometers to efficiently reflect soft x-rays. We have developed a complete nanofabrication process for creating freestanding CAT gratings via plasma-etching silicon wafers with a buried layer of SiO₂. This removable buried layer enables combining a record-performance plasma etch for the CAT grating with a millimeter-scale honeycomb structural support to create a large-area freestanding membrane. We have also developed a process for polishing sidewalls of plasma-etched ultra-high aspect ratio nanoscale silicon structures via potassium hydroxide (KOH). This process utilizes the anisotropic etch nature of single crystal silicon in KOH. We developed a novel alignment technique to align the CAT grating bars to the {111} planes of silicon within 0.2 degrees, which enables KOH to etch away sidewall roughness without destroying the structure, since the {111} planes etch approximately 100 times slower than the non-{111} planes. Preliminary results of a combined freestanding grating with polishing are presented to enable efficient diffraction of soft x-rays.

The Off-Plane Grating Rocket Experiment (OGRE) will greatly advance the current capabilities of soft X-ray grating spectroscopy and provide an important technological bridge towards future X-ray observatories. The OGRE sounding rocket will fly an innovative X-ray spectrograph operating at resolving powers of R ~ 2000 and effective areas < 100 cm² in the 0.2–1.5 keV bandpass. This represents a factor of two improvement in spectral resolution over currently operating instruments. OGRE will observe the astrophysical X-ray calibration source Capella, which has a linedominated spectrum and will showcase the full capabilities of the OGRE spectrograph. We outline the mission design for OGRE and provide detailed overviews of relevant technologies to be integrated into the payload, including slumped glass mirrors, blazed reflection gratings customized for the off-plane mount, and electron-multiplying CCDs (EMCCDs). The OGRE mission will bring these components to a high technology readiness level, paving the way for the use of such a spectrograph on future X-ray observatories or Explorer-class missions.

Off-plane reflection gratings can be used to provide high throughput and spectral resolution in the 0.3-2.0 keV band, allowing for unprecedented diagnostics of energetic astrophysical processes. A grating spectrometer consists of multiple aligned gratings intersecting the converging beam of a Wolter-I telescope. Each grating will be aligned such that the diffracted spectra overlap at the focal plane. Misalignments will degrade both spectral resolution and effective area. In this paper we present a summary of analytical alignment tolerance calculations, including an investigation of diffraction efficiency alignment dependence. Our plan for extending this work to future modeling and simulation is laid out. Finally, we report on the status of laboratory techniques to achieve these tolerances for flight-like optics.

We are developing instrumentation for a telescope design capable of measuring linear X-ray polarization over a broad-band using conventional spectroscopic optics. Multilayer-coated mirrors are key to this approach, being used as Bragg reflectors at the Brewster angle. By laterally grading the multilayer mirrors and matching to the dispersion of a spectrometer, one may take advantage of high multilayer reflectivities and achieve modulation factors over 50% over the entire 0.2-0.8 keV band. We present progress on laboratory work to demonstrate the capabilities of an existing laterally graded multilayer coated mirror pair. We also present plans for a suborbital rocket experiment designed to detect a polarization level of 12-17% for an active galactic nucleus in the 0.1-1.0 keV band.

Silicon Pore Optics (SPO) provide a high angular resolution with a low areal density as required for future X-ray telescopes for high energy astrophysics. We present progress in two areas of ESA’s SPO development activities: Stray light baffling and environmental qualification.

Residual stray light originating from off-axis sources or the sky background can be blocked by placing suitable baffles in front of the mirror modules. We developed two different mechanical implementations. The first uses longer, tapered mirror plates which improve the stray light rejection without the need of mounting additional parts to the modules or the telescope. The second method is based on placing a sieve plate in front of the optics. We compare both methods in terms of baffling performance using ray-tracing simulations and present test results of prototype mirror modules.

Any optics for space telescopes needs to be compliant with the harsh conditions of the launch and in-orbit operation. We present new work in improving the mechanical and thermal ruggedness of SPO mirror modules and show recent results of qualification level tests, including tests of modules with externally mounted sieve plate baffles.

The optics of a number of future X-ray telescopes will have very long focal lengths (10 – 20 m), and will consist of a number of nested/stacked thin, grazing-incidence mirrors. The optical quality characterization of a real mirror can be obtained via profile metrology, and the Point Spread Function of the mirror can be derived via one of the standard computation methods. However, in practical cases it can be difficult to access the optical surfaces of densely stacked mirror shells, after they have been assembled, using the widespread metrological tools. For this reason, the assessment of the imaging resolution of a system of mirrors is better obtained via a direct, full-illumination test in X-rays. If the focus cannot be reached, an intra-focus test can be performed, and the image can be compared with the simulation results based on the metrology, if available. However, until today no quantitative information was extracted from a full-illumination, intra-focal exposure. In this work we show that, if the detector is located at an optimal distance from the mirror, the intensity variations of the intra-focal, full-illumination image in single reflection can be used to reconstruct the profile of the mirror surface, without the need of a wavefront sensor. The Point Spread Function can be subsequently computed from the reconstructed mirror shape. We show the application of this method to an intra-focal (8 m distance from mirror) test performed at PANTER on an optical module prototype made of hot-slumped glass foils with a 20 m focal length, from which we could derive an expected imaging quality near 16 arcsec HEW.

New technology in grazing-incidence mirror fabrication and assembly is necessary to achieve subarcsecond optics for large-area x-ray telescopes. In order to define specifications, an understanding of performance sensitivity to design parameters is crucial. MSFC is undertaking a systematic study to specify a mounting approach, mirror substrate, and testing method. Lightweight mirrors are typically flimsy and are, therefore, susceptible to significant distortion due to mounting and gravitational forces. Material properties of the mirror substrate along with its dimensions significantly affect the distortions caused by mounting and gravity. A parametric study of these properties and their relationship to mounting and testing schemes will indicate specifications for the design of the next generation of lightweight grazing-incidence mirrors. Here we report initial results of this study.

Hartmann testing of x-ray telescopes is a simple test method to retrieve and analyze alignment errors and low-order circumferential errors of x-ray telescopes and their components. A narrow slit is scanned along the circumference of the telescope in front of the mirror and the centroids of the images are calculated. From the centroid data, alignment errors, radius variation errors, and cone-angle variation errors can be calculated. Mean cone-angle, mean radial height (average radius), and the focal length of the telescope can also be estimated if the centroid data is measured at multiple focal plane locations. This test is the only viable way of verifying the alignment of tightly nested x-ray telescopes.

In this paper we present the basic equations that are used in the analysis process. These equations can be applied to full circumference or segmented x-ray telescopes. We use the Optical Surface Analysis Code (OSAC) to model a segmented x-ray telescope and show that the derived equations and accompanying analysis retrieves the alignment errors and low order circumferential errors accurately.

The development and calibration of eROSITA mirror modules is supported by continuous measurements at the X-ray test facility PANTER. To obtain comparable measurement results after each new integration robust alignment procedures are needed to place the mirror module on the optical axis.

Here we present the different methods that we use to align eROSITA like mirror modules. One method uses the symmetry of single reflection images, another one is based on a symmetry of the intensity distribution, and the last one on the symmetry of the half energy width (HEW).