Abstract

The flux flow equation of Burkhard and Shealy is a simplified equation which can be used to evaluate the energy flux density at the image plane for a general optical system. Since the flux flow equation is based on the differential geometry of the wave front passing through the system, the energy flux density at the image plane can be computed by tracing a single ray through the system and using the flux flow equation. This technique has been used to calculate the meridional section of the point spread function of Wolter I x-ray telescopes and thin-film multilayered optics. Results, which have been obtained by the flux flow ray tracing method for the point spread function of several Wolter I x-ray telescopes and hybrid x-ray telescopes using convexed thin-film multilayered optics located near the primary focus, are compared with the rms blur circle results and the point spread function results obtained by conventional ray tracing techniques.

© 1986 Optical Society of America

Imaging properties of Wolter I type x-ray telescopes

W. Werner
Appl. Opt. 16(3) 764-773 (1977)

Formula for the rms blur circle radius of Wolter telescope based on aberration theory

David L. Shealy and Timo T. Saha
Appl. Opt. 29(16) 2433-2439 (1990)

Design and analysis of a two-channel three-mirror x-ray telescope: errata

Abd M. Kassim and David L. Shealy
Appl. Opt. 23(19) 3482-3486 (1984)

Ghost image behavior in Wolter type I x-ray telescopes

Edward C. Moran and James E. Harvey
Appl. Opt. 27(8) 1486-1491 (1988)

Optical design of type-1 x-ray telescopes and their application to STAR-X

Timo T. Saha and William W. Zhang
Appl. Opt. 61(2) 505-516 (2022)