Progress in differential deposition for improving the figures of full-shell astronomical grazing incidence x-ray optics

Kiranmayee Kilaru; Carolyn Atkins; Brian D. Ramsey; Jeffery K. Kolodziejczak; Tomasz M. Lis; Mikhail V. Gubarev; Stephen L. O'Dell; Jessica A. Gaskin; David M. Broadway

doi:10.1117/12.2189929

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4 September 2015 Progress in differential deposition for improving the figures of full-shell astronomical grazing incidence x-ray optics

Kiranmayee Kilaru, Carolyn Atkins, Brian D. Ramsey, Jeffery K. Kolodziejczak, Tomasz M. Lis, Mikhail V. Gubarev, Stephen L. O'Dell, Jessica A. Gaskin, David M. Broadway

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Proceedings Volume 9603, Optics for EUV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Astronomy VII; 96031F (2015) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2189929
Event: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, 2015, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

One of the developments at MSFC that is underway to meet the demand of high-resolution X-ray optics for future X-ray astronomy missions is the ‘differential deposition’ technique. This process corrects the axial figure profile of optics by selectively depositing material onto the mirror’s reflective surface. The process relies on accurate metrology achieved using a long trace profiler whose slope resolution is better than 1μrad. From these metrology data an error map is generated that shows the profile of material to be deposited to correct the optic’s figure. A computer-controlled, deposition system then applies this corrective coating.

Simulations show that a substantial improvement in angular resolution is possible with this approach after multiple correction ‘cycles’. To assess this, custom coating systems have been developed and corrections of full-shell optics are underway. To date, a factor of < 2 improvement in the imaging quality of the optics has been demonstrated in x-ray tests after a single stage of correction.

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Kiranmayee Kilaru, Carolyn Atkins, Brian D. Ramsey, Jeffery K. Kolodziejczak, Tomasz M. Lis, Mikhail V. Gubarev, Stephen L. O'Dell, Jessica A. Gaskin, and David M. Broadway "Progress in differential deposition for improving the figures of full-shell astronomical grazing incidence x-ray optics", Proc. SPIE 9603, Optics for EUV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Astronomy VII, 96031F (4 September 2015); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2189929

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