X Ray SIG Seminar

Milli-Arcsecond X-ray Imaging with Normal Incidence Mirrors

Speaker

Herman Marshall

Abstract

I will describe a research path toward sub-arcsecond X-ray imaging using multilayer coated mirrors at normal incidence below 1 keV. The primary advantage of normal incidence optics is the ability to fold the optical paths, greatly shortening the total length of the telescope, so formation flying is not necessary. Common Cassegrain designs can be used, as in the UV and optical bands. Many technological challenges of high resolution imaging, such as telescope control and pointing knowledge, can be demonstrated in such a project as a stepping stone to much larger missions requiring formation flying. The main limitation of this approach is the bandpass but we can show that a modest design can still have a significant scientific impact. The optics industry is positioned to provide optics of sufficient quality but standard metrology cannot verify performance yet at the level needed for X-ray imaging. Our development plan concentrates on X-ray testing in a modest lab, supplemented with wavefront testing and surface adjustment techniques developed independently.

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