Abstract

We propose an aberration-free monochromatic x ray backlit imaging scheme using a combination of convex and concave spherically bent crystals. This configuration works with a wide range of Bragg angles, satisfying the conditions for stigmatic imaging at a particular wavelength. However, the assembly accuracy of the crystals must meet the Bragg relation criteria for spatial resolution to increase the detection efficiency. Here, we develop a collimator prism with a cross reference line engraved on a plane mirror to adjust a matched pair of Bragg angles as well as the intervals between the two crystals and the object to be coupled with the detector. We explore the realization of monochromatic backlighting imaging with a concave Si-533 crystal and a convex α-Quartz-2023 crystal, obtaining a spatial resolution of approximately 7 µm and a field of view of at least 200 µm. To the best of our knowledge, this is the best spatial resolution of monochromatic images of a double-spherically bent crystal to date. Our experimental results are presented to demonstrate the feasibility of this imaging scheme with x rays.

© 2022 Optica Publishing Group

High-resolution monochromatic x-ray imaging system based on spherically bent crystals

Yefim Aglitskiy, Thomas Lehecka, Stephen Obenschain, Stephen Bodner, Carl Pawley, Kent Gerber, John Sethian, Charles M. Brown, John Seely, Uri Feldman, and Glenn Holland
Appl. Opt. 37(22) 5253-5261 (1998)

Evaluation of bent-crystal x-ray backlighting and microscopy techniques for the Sandia Z machine

Daniel B. Sinars, Guy R. Bennett, David F. Wenger, Michael E. Cuneo, and John L. Porter
Appl. Opt. 42(19) 4059-4071 (2003)

Spherical crystal imaging spectrometer (SCIS) for cosmic x-ray spectroscopy

Herbert W. Schnopper and Paul O. Taylor
Appl. Opt. 19(19) 3306-3312 (1980)

Performance of bent-crystal x-ray microscopes for high energy density physics research

Marius S. Schollmeier, Matthias Geissel, Jonathon E. Shores, Ian C. Smith, and John L. Porter
Appl. Opt. 54(16) 5147-5161 (2015)

Accurate PSF determination in x ray image restoration

Xin Liu, Rongze Chen, Yaohu Lei, Jianheng Huang, and Xiaoli Liu
Opt. Lett. 47(23) 6269-6272 (2022)