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At least 55 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

Sagittal collimating diaboloid: a new grazing-incidence mirror surface for higher-throughput resonant inelastic X-ray scattering spectrometers

A major challenge in soft X-ray spectroscopy is the efficient collection of the emitted X-rays by grazing-incidence mirrors. In this energy range, grazing-incidence mirrors are widely used as optics for the collection of light. The small angle of incidence necessarily limits the collection solid angle of soft X-ray spectrometers. We present a new mirror surface, a sagittal collimating diaboloid, that can both collect and focus light from a point source in an aberration-free manner. The usefulness of this optic in increasing throughput is demonstrated with a realistic example design of a moderate-sized (3 m) medium-resolution resonant inelastic X-ray scattering spectrometer.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2011

Differential Deposition to Correct Surface Figure Deviations in Astronomical Grazing-Incidence X-Ray Optics

A coating technique is being developed to correct the surface figure deviations in reflective-grazing-incidence X-ray optics. These optics are typically designed to have precise conic profiles, and any deviation in this profile, as a result of fabrication, results in a degradation of the imaging performance. To correct the mirror profiles, physical vapor deposition has been utilized to selectively deposit a filler material inside the mirror shell. The technique, termed differential deposition, has been implemented as a proof of concept on miniature X-ray optics developed at MSFC for medical-imaging applications. The technique is now being transferred to larger grazing-incidence optics suitable for astronomy and progress to date is reported.

Kilaru, Kiranmayee↗
NASA NTRS1987

The production of low-energy neutral oxygen beams by grazing-incidence neutralization

The Vanderbilt University neutral oxygen facility produces beams of low-energy neutral oxygen atoms by means of grazing-incidence collisions between ion beams and metal surfaces. Residual ions are reflected by applied electric fields. This method can utilize initial ion beams of either O(+) or O2(+) since a very large percentage of molecular oxygen ions are dissociated when they undergo grazing-incidence neutralization. The method of neutralization is applicable to low-energy beams and to all ions. Particular emphasis is on O and N2 beams for simulation of the low Earth orbit space environment. Since the beam is a pure O-neutral beam and since measurements of the interaction of the beam with solid surfaces are made spectroscopically, absolute reaction rates can be determined. The technique permits the beams to be used in conjunction with electron and photon irradiation for studies of synergistic effects. Comparisons of optical spectra of Kapton excited by 2.5-keV O, O(+), and O2(+) show significant differences. Optical spectra of Kapton excited by neutral oxygen beams of less than 1 keV have been recorded.

Albridge, R. G.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Preliminary Results from the Marshall Grazing Incidence X-ray Spectrometer (MaGIXS)

The Marshall Grazing Incidence X-ray Spectrometer (MaGIXS) is a sounding rocket mission that aims to observe the soft x-ray solar spectrum (0.6 – 2.5 nm) with both spatial and spectral resolution over a substantial field of view. This wavelength range has several high temperature and abundance diagnostics that can be used to assist in diagnosing the coronal heating mechanism. MaGIXS launched from White Sands Missile Range on July 30, 2021 and successfully observed the Sun through a 4’ x 33’ effective slot, producing ``overlappograms’’, where the spatial and spectral information are overlapped and must be unfolded. In this presentation, I will report on the MaGIXS launch and data collection and provide preliminary analysis of MaGIXS data.

Amy Winebarger↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Preliminary Results from the Marshall Grazing Incidence X-ray Spectrometer (MaGIXS)

The Marshall Grazing Incidence X-ray Spectrometer (MaGIXS) is a sounding rocket mission that aims to observe the soft x-ray solar spectrum (0.6 – 2.5 nm) with both spatial and spectral resolution over a substantial field of view. This wavelength range has several high temperature and abundance diagnostics that can be used to assist in diagnosing the coronal heating mechanism. MaGIXS launched from White Sands Missile Range on July 30, 2021 and successfully observed the Sun through a 4’ x 33’ effective slot, producing ``overlappograms’’, where the spatial and spectral information are overlapped and must be unfolded. In this presentation, I will report on the MaGIXS launch and data collection and provide preliminary analysis of MaGIXS data.

Amy Winebarger↗
NASA NTRS1982

Grazing incidence relay optics

The necessity to work in the focal plane of the primary mirrors has been one of the factors limiting the utility of grazing incidence telescopes in X-ray astronomy. In connection with the reported investigation, computer ray tracing programs have been used to study the performance of several grazing incidence relay optics (GIRO) systems used together with a large nested solar X-ray telescope. It was found that GIRO magnifiers are useful to map appropriate sized regions of the sun onto available CCD detectors. GIRO collimators can be used together with an X-ray spectrometer to study the X-ray spectrum from very small regions on the sun. Attention is given to the stationary mode, the tracking mode, and the size of GIRO elements. It is found that for a given GIRO size and magnification a use of the diverging system has the advantage of reducing the overall length of the main telescope-GIRO combination. However, the resolution provided by the diverging GIRO may not be as good as that obtained with the corresponding converging GIRO.

Chase, R. C.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction tomography for characterizing organic thin films

Characterization of thin films is of paramount importance for evaluating material processing outcomes/efficiency as well as establishing structure–property/performance relationships. This article introduces grazing-incidence diffraction tomography (GID tomography), a technique that combines grazing-incidence X-ray scattering and computed tomography to quantitatively determine the dimension and orientation of crystalline domains in thin films without restrictions on the beam coherence, substrate type or film thickness. This computational method extends the capability of synchrotron beamlines by utilizing standard X-ray scattering experiment setups.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

GIWAXS-SIIRkit: scattering intensity, indexing and refraction calculation toolkit for grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering of organic materials

Grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS) has become an increasingly popular technique for quantitative structural characterization and comparison of thin films. For this purpose, accurate intensity normalization and peak position determination are crucial. At present, few tools exist to estimate the uncertainties of these measurements. Here, a simulation package is introduced called GIWAXS-SIIRkit , where SIIR stands for scattering intensity, indexing and refraction. Furthermore, the package contains several tools that are freely available for download and can be executed in MATLAB. The package includes three functionalities: estimation of the relative scattering intensity and the corresponding uncertainty based on experimental setup and sample dimensions; extraction and indexing of peak positions to approximate the crystal structure of organic materials starting from calibrated GIWAXS patterns; and analysis of the effects of refraction on peak positions. Additionally, each tool is based on a graphical user interface and designed to have a short learning curve. A user guide is provided with detailed usage instruction, tips for adding functionality and customization, and exemplary files.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1980

Plane waves at or near grazing incidence in the parabolic approximation

The parabolic approximation for the acoustic equations of motion is applied to the study of the sound field generated by a plane wave at or near grazing incidence to a finite impedance boundary. It is shown how this approximation accounts for effects neglected in the usual plane wave reflection analysis which, at grazing incidence, erroneously predicts complete cancellation of the incident field by the reflected field. Examples are presented which illustrate that the solution obtained by the parabolic approximation contains several of the physical phenomena known to occur in wave propagation near an absorbing boundary.

Mcaninch, G. L.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The Third Flight of the Marshall Grazing Incidence X-Ray Spectrometer (MaGIXS-3)

The Marshall Grazing Incidence X-ray Spectrometer (MaGIXS) is the first X-ray slitless imaging spectrograph sounding rocket instrument designed to observe spectrally dispersed soft X-ray images of the solar corona over a wide field-of-view. During the first flight of MaGIXS (MaGIXS-1), occurred on 30 July 2021, several emission lines from coronal structures including X-ray bright points were observed. Further, MaGIXS-1 analysis also demonstrated the successful inversion of overlappograms using robust unfolding algorithms. Given the demonstrated success of MaGIXS-1, the second flight of the instrument with a simplified optical design, MaGIXS-2, is scheduled for 2024 to observe high temperature diagnostic emission lines. Results from MaGIXS-1 discovered dominant missing emission lines near 15A, arising from relatively cool plasma that peaks around 2 MK. This wavelength region hosts several closely spaced satellite lines of Fe XVII, Fe XVI and Fe XV ions, which are expected to be enhanced at lower temperatures and are currently unmodeled in the CHIANTI atomic database. This wavelength region offers one of the most unique diagnostics to measure electron temperature, as well as signatures of equilibrium state of the plasma in active regions, which has not been studied so far. The goal of MaGIXS-3 mission is the to determine coronal heating parameters, such as the spatial and temporal properties of coronal heating events, by measuring discriminating observations, such as electron temperature, effective temperature, density, abundance, and departures from thermal equilibrium of the plasma, by observing the Sun in the SXR wavelength range. To meet this goal, the MaGIXS instrument will be upgraded with a new X-ray telescope mirror that will provide higher spatial and spectral resolution and throughput, allowing for spectral lines to be observed at the relevant spatial and temporal scales. In addition, MaGIXS-3 will also carry The Resolving Inversion Context X-ray Spectrometer (TRICXS), a high dispersion Bragg crystal spectrometer to spectrally resolve the lines near 14.9 to 15.9A, critical to unlock the full diagnostic potential of this wavelength range. Here we will present the preliminary concept design of MaGIXS-3 and discuss the potential observations.

X-ray Imaging↗
DOE OSTI2024

X-ray diffraction under grazing incidence conditions

Material properties frequently relate to structures at or near surfaces, particularly in thin films. As a result, it is essential to understand these structures at the molecular and atomistic levels. The most accurate and widely used techniques for characterizing crystallographic order are based on X-ray diffraction. When dealing with thin films or interfaces, standard approaches, such as single crystal or powder diffraction, are not suitable. However, X-ray diffraction under grazing incidence conditions can provide the required information. Here, in this Primer, grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXD) is comprehensively introduced, starting from basic considerations on X-ray diffraction at crystals with reduced dimensionality and the optical properties of X-rays, followed by a more in-depth description of an experimental performance, including X-ray sources, goniometers and detectors. Experimental errors, limitations and reproducibility are discussed. Various applications, from highly ordered inorganic single crystal surfaces to weakly ordered polymer thin films, are presented to illustrate the potential of GIXD. Data visualizations, representations and evaluation strategies are summarized, based on the example of anthracene thin films. The Primer compiles information relevant to perform high-quality GIXD experiments, evaluate data and interpret results, to extend knowledge about X-ray diffraction from surfaces, interfaces and thin films.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1985

Grazing incidence metal optics for the Berkeley Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer satellite - A progress report

The four flight Wolter-Schwarzschild mirrors currently under fabrication for the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE) satellite are described. The principal figuring operation of these grazing incidence metal mirrors (gold over nickel on an aluminum substrate) is carried out by diamond turning at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories. Turning has been accomplished and optical testing results analyzed for three of the mirrors. As-turned values of 1.7 arc sec full width at half maximum (FWHM) and half energy width (HEW) of 5 arc seconds in the visible have been achieved. These results illustrate the great potential of precision fabrication technology for the production of large grazing incidence optics.

Finley, D.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Simultaneous ambient pressure x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and grazing incidence x-ray scattering in gas environments

We have developed an experimental system to simultaneously measure surface structure, morphology, composition, chemical state, and chemical activity for samples in gas phase environments. This is accomplished by simultaneously measuring x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and grazing incidence x-ray scattering in gas pressures as high as the multi-Torr regime while also recording mass spectrometry. Scattering patterns reflect near-surface sample structures from the nano-scale to the meso-scale, and the grazing incidence geometry provides tunable depth sensitivity of structural measurements. Scattered x rays are detected across a broad range of angles using a newly designed pivoting-UHV-manipulator for detector positioning. At the same time, XPS and mass spectrometry can be measured, all from the same sample spot and under ambient conditions. To demonstrate the capabilities of this system, we measured the chemical state, composition, and structure of Ag-behenate on a Si(001) wafer in vacuum and in O 2 atmosphere at various temperatures. These simultaneous structural, chemical, and gas phase product probes enable detailed insights into the interplay between the structure and chemical state for samples in gas phase environments. The compact size of our pivoting-UHV-manipulator makes it possible to retrofit this technique into existing spectroscopic instruments installed at synchrotron beamlines. Because many synchrotron facilities are planning or undergoing upgrades to diffraction limited storage rings with transversely coherent beams, a newly emerging set of coherent x-ray scattering experiments can greatly benefit from the concepts we present here.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
NASA NTRS2019

X-ray Evaluation of the Marshall Grazing Incidence X-Ray Spectrometer (MaGIXS) Nickel-Replicated Mirrors

X-ray observations of astronomical objects provides diagnostics not available in any other wavelength regime, however the capability of making these observation at a high spatial resolution has proven challenging. Recently, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has made good progress in employing computer numerical control (CNC) polishing techniques on electroless nickel mandrels as part of our replicated grazing incidence optics program. CNC polishing has afforded the ability to deterministically refine mandrel figure, thereby improving mirror performance. The Marshall Grazing Incidence X-ray Spectrometer (MaGIXS) is a MSFC-led sounding rocket instrument that is designed to make the first ever soft x-ray spectral observations of the Sun spatially resolved along a narrow slit. MaGIXS incorporates some of the first mirrors produced at MSFC using this polishing technique. Here we present the predicted mirror performance obtained from metrology, after completion of CNC polishing, as well as the results of X-ray tests performed on the MaGIXS telescope mirror before and after mounting.

MaGIXS X-ray Tests↗
NASA NTRS1987

Electroformed grazing incidence X-ray mirrors for a mirror array telescope

Grazing incidence Wolter type I mirrors for higher-energy X-rays have been replicated from two superpolished mandrels by electroforming. Single mirrors and a nested pair were tested with 1.5- and 6.4-keV X-rays, and their subminute of arc resolution and reflectivity close to the theoretical values are confirmed. The design of the mandrels, the mirror mounting scheme, and results of the X-ray test are presented. The microroughnesses of the mirrors measured using an optical profilometer were compared with the X-ray test results.

Ulmer, Melville P.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Grazing incidence reflection coefficients of rhodium, osmium, platinum, and gold from 50 to 300 A

Reflectance measurements were made of several metals illuminated from various angles with light at 14 wavelengths in the interval 46.5-283 A. The metals, Rh, Os, Pt and Au were deposited as 125 A films on a binding substrate through electron beam epitaxy. Measurements were made with a grazing incidence monochromator and a reflectometer. The data generally showed lowered reflectance with increasing angles of illumination and shorter wavelengths. The reflectance peak, however, was located at wavelengths of 100-160 A, particularly at large grazing incidences. The wavelengths correspond with the 5p to epsilon-d transition in all of the elements. Rh displayed the highest overall reflectance, and both Rh and Os were more efficient than Au or Pt.

Hettrick, M. C.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Adjustable Grazing-Incidence X-Ray Optics

With its unique subarcsecond imaging performance, NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory illustrates the importance of fine angular resolution for x-ray astronomy. Indeed, the future of x-ray astronomy relies upon x-ray telescopes with comparable angular resolution but larger aperture areas. Combined with the special requirements of nested grazing-incidence optics, mass, and envelope constraints of space-borne telescopes render such advances technologically and programmatically challenging. The goal of this technology research is to enable the cost-effective fabrication of large-area, lightweight grazing-incidence x-ray optics with subarcsecond resolution. Toward this end, the project is developing active x-ray optics using slumped-glass mirrors with thin-film piezoelectric arrays for correction of intrinsic or mount-induced distortions.

O'Dell, Stephen L.↗