A further development of a focusing monochromator concept for X-ray energy resolution of 0.1 meV and below is presented. Theoretical analysis of several optical layouts based on this concept was supported by numerical simulations performed in the Synchrotron Radiation Workshop software package using the physical-optics approach and careful modeling of partially-coherent synchrotron (undulator) radiation. Along with the energy resolution, the spectral shape of the energy resolution function was investigated. It was shown that under certain conditions the decay of the resolution function tails can be faster than that of the Gaussian function.
We report the development of a laboratory-based Rowland-circle monochromator that incorporates a low poer x-ray (bremsstrahlung) tube source, a spherically-bent crystal analyzer (SBCA), and an energy-resolving solid-state detector. This relatively inexpensive, introductory level instrument achieves 1-eV energy resolution for photon energies of 5 keV to 10 keV while also dmeonstrating a net efficiency previously seen only in laboratory monochromators having much coarser energy resolution. Despite the use of only a compact, air-cooled 10 W x-ray tube, we find count rates for nonresonant x-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) comparable to those achived at monochromatized spectroscopy beamlines at synchrotron light sources. For x-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES), the monochromatized flux is small (due to the use of a low-powered x-ray generator) but still useful for routine transmission-mode studies of concentrated samples. These results indicate that upgrading to a standard commercial high-powered line-focused x-ray tube or rotating anode x-ray generator would result in monochromatized fluxes of order 10^6 to 10^7 photons/s with no loss in energy resolution. This work establishes core technical capabilities for a rejuvenation of laboratory-based x-ray spectroscopies that could have special relevance for contemporary research on catalytic or electrical energy storage systems using transition-metal, lanthanide, or noble-metal active species.
Thick biological tissues give rise to not only the scattering of incoming light waves, but also aberrations of the remaining unscattered waves. Due to the inability of existing optical imaging methodologies to overcome both of these problems simultaneously, imaging depth at the sub- micron spatial resolution has remained extremely shallow. Here we present an experimental approach for identifying and eliminating aberrations even in the presence of strong multiple light scattering. For time-gated complex-field maps of reflected waves taken over various illumination channels, we identify two sets of aberration correction maps, one for the illumination path and one for the reflection path, that can preferentially accumulate the unscattered signal waves over the multiple-scattered waves. By performing closed-loop optimization for forward and phase- conjugation processes, we demonstrated a spatial resolution of 600 nm up to the unprecedented imaging depth of 7 scattering mean free paths.
High resolution spectra of the active binary Capella (G8 III + G1 III) covering the energy range 0.4-8.0 keV (1.5-30 Angstroms) show a large number of emission lines, demonstrating the performance of the HETGS. A preliminary application of plasma diagnostics provides information on coronal temperatures and densities. Lines arising from different elements in a range of ionization states indicate that Capella has plasma with a broad range of temperatures, from log T = 6.3 to 7.2, generally consistent with recent results from observations with the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE) and the Advanced Satellite for Cosmology and Astrophysics (ASCA). The electron density is determined from He-like O VII lines, giving the value N_e=10^10 cm^-3 at T_e=2*10^6 K; He-like lines formed at higher temperatures give only upper limits to the electron density. The density and emission measure from O VII lines together indicate that the coronal loops are significantly smaller than the stellar radius.
We describe the concepts and technical realization of the high-resolution soft-X-ray beamline ADRESS operating in the energy range from 300 to 1600 eV and intended for Resonant Inelastic X-ray Scattering (RIXS) and Angle-Resolved Photoelectron Spectroscopy (ARPES). The photon source is an undulator of novel fixed-gap design where longitudinal movement of permanent magnetic arrays controls not only the light polarization (including circular and 0-180 deg rotatable linear polarizations) but also the energy without changing the gap. The beamline optics is based on the well-established scheme of plane grating monochromator (PGM) operating in collimated light. The ultimate resolving power E/dE is above 33000 at 1 keV photon energy. The choice of blazed vs lamellar gratings and optimization of their profile parameters is described. Due to glancing angles on the mirrors as well as optimized groove densities and profiles of the gratings, high photon flux is achieved up to 1.0e13 photons/s/0.01%BW at 1 keV. Ellipsoidal refocusing optics used for the RIXS endstation demagnifies the vertical spot size down to 4 um, which allows slitless operation and thus maximal transmission of the high-resolution RIXS spectrometer delivering E/dE better than 11000 at 1 keV photon energy. Apart from the beamline optics, we give an overview of the control system, describe diagnostics and software tools, and discuss strategies used for the optical alignment. An introduction to the concepts and instrumental realization of the ARPES and RIXS endstations is given.
We propose the development of X-ray interferometry (XRI), to reveal the universe at high energies with ultra-high spatial resolution. With baselines which can be accommodated on a single spacecraft, XRI can reach 100 $mu$as resolution at 10 AA (1.2 keV) and 20 $mu$as at 2 AA (6 keV), enabling imaging and imaging-spectroscopy of (for example) X-ray coronae of nearby accreting supermassive black holes (SMBH) and the SMBH `shadow; SMBH accretion flows and outflows; X-ray binary winds and orbits; stellar coronae within ~100 pc and many exoplanets which transit across them. For sufficiently luminous sources XRI will resolve sub-pc scales across the entire observable universe, revealing accreting binary SMBHs and enabling trigonometric measurements of the Hubble constant with X-ray light echoes from quasars or explosive transients. A multi-spacecraft `constellation interferometer would resolve well below 1 $mu$as, enabling SMBH event horizons to be resolved in many active galaxies and the detailed study of the effects of strong field gravity on the dynamics and emission from accreting gas close to the black hole.