@inproceedings{PareschiCivitaniSironietal.2019, author = {Pareschi, Giovanni and Civitani, Marta Maria and Sironi, Giorgia and Yang, Yang and Cotroneo, Vincenzo and Valsecchi, Giuseppe and Magagnin, Luca and D{\"o}hring, Thorsten and Bradshaw, Miranda and Burwitz, Vadim and Pelliciari, Carlo}, title = {Reflectivity-enhancement at low x-ray energies in astronomical telescopes using low-density overcoatings: alternative materials and deposition methods}, series = {Proceedings of SPIE}, volume = {2019}, booktitle = {Proceedings of SPIE}, number = {11119}, publisher = {SPIE}, organization = {Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2532392}, pages = {11119OS-1 -- 11119OS-13}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Low density overcoatings (mainly based on materials containing Carbon) onto usual high-density coatings (based i.e. on materials like e.g. like Ir, Au or Pt) have been proposed since many years ago in order to enhance the X- ray reflectivity at low energy (between 0.5 and 4 keV) of X-ray astronomical optics. The trick is to make use of the total reflection from the thin low-density material (which does not suffer much the photoelectric absorption) at low X-ray energies; the reflection of photons at higher energies (< 4 keV) occurs thanks to the much denser material under the overcoating. For several future projects, like e.g. ATHENA, LYNX and eXTP, it is foreseen the use of low-density overcoatings that will importantly increase the effective area at low X-ray energies. In this paper we will introduce the use of overcoatings based on materials different from the usual ones considered so far like C, B4C and SiC. In particular, we will discuss about a novel approach based on the use of thin layer of a Carbon-like materials deposited using a dip coating method. A possible combination with an intermediate thin layer of Chromium deposited e.g. via sputtering onto the usual high density material (Ir, Au or Pt) before the application of the Carbon-like material is also considered in the study, because it can further greatly enhance the soft X-ray effective area of future X-ray telescopes.}, subject = {R{\"o}ntgenteleskop}, language = {en} } @misc{GiovanniDoehringValsecchietal.2019, author = {Giovanni, Pareschi and D{\"o}hring, Thorsten and Valsecchi, Guiseppe and Magagnin, Luca and Bradshaw, Miranda and Burwitz, Vadim and Civitani, Marta Maria and Cotroneo, Vincenzo and Gibertini, Eugenio and Pelliciari, Carlo and Sironi, Giorgia and Yang, Yang}, title = {Enhancing the ATHENA effective area at low x-ray energies with unconventional overcoatings}, series = {Proceedings of the X-RAY ASTRONOMY 2019 conference}, volume = {2019}, journal = {Proceedings of the X-RAY ASTRONOMY 2019 conference}, organization = {Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica}, pages = {1 -- 1}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Low density overcoatings (mainly based on materials containing Carbon) onto usual hi Z materials (like Ir, Au or Pt) have been proposed more than 10 years ago for enhancing the X-ray reflectivity at low energy (between 0.5 and 4 keV) in X-ray astronomical optics. The hack is to use the total reflection from the low density material (which do not suffer much the photoelectric absorption) at low energy, while the photons at high energy are reflected by the high density material. Now for several future projects like e.g. ATHENA and eXTP it is foreseen the use of low density overcoatings that will importantly increase the effective area at low energy. In this poster we will discuss about the use of materials different from the ones considered so far, in particular based on a thin layer of Chromium followed by another layer of a Carbon-like material, and of novel approaches for their application.}, subject = {R{\"o}ntgenteleskop}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{RivoltaBassoCivitanietal.2022, author = {Rivolta, Giacomo and Basso, Stefano and Civitani, Marta Maria and Cotroneo, Vincenzo and D{\"o}hring, Thorsten and Michler, Willy-Leopold and Pareschi, Giovanni and Spiga, Daniele and Stollenwerk, Manfred}, title = {Upgrade of a laboratory X-ray diffractometer to extend its operating range towards soft energies}, series = {Proceedings of SPIE}, volume = {2022}, booktitle = {Proceedings of SPIE}, number = {12181}, publisher = {SPIE}, organization = {Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera}, issn = {0277-786X}, doi = {doi: 10.1117/12.2629940}, pages = {121814S-1 -- 121814s-7}, year = {2022}, abstract = {The optical properties of X-ray mirror samples are commonly measured using diffractometers based on laboratory sources; like the Bede D1 diffractometer operating at INAF-OAB. This instrument can generate a collimated X-ray beam up to 60 keV, even though the most interesting energy region for x-ray astronomy applications is usually below 10 keV. In the softest part of this range (below 6 keV), high X-ray absorption in air hinders a full and precise characterization of optical components. In this work, we present an upgrade of the Bede D1 diffractometer that extends the operative range of the instrument below 6 keV; this is done by maximizing the flux at lowest energies and by reducing absorption by means of a helium-rich atmosphere. The upgraded instrument will be used for the tests of X-ray mirrors with innovative soft X-ray coatings, with potential application to the next generation X-ray telescopes (such as ATHENA and eXTP).}, subject = {R{\"o}ntgenspiegel}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{CotroneoBruniCivitanietal.2022, author = {Cotroneo, Vincenzo and Bruni, Ricardo and Civitani, Marta Maria and D{\"o}hring, Thorsten and Gibertini, Eugenio and Magagnin, Luca and Pareschi, Giovanni and Rivolta, Giacomo and Romaine, Suzanne and Sethares, Leandra and Sironi, Giorgia and Tagliaferri, Gianpiero and Valsecchi, Giuseppe}, title = {Dopamine dip-liquid overcoatings for soft X-ray reflectivity enhancement}, series = {Proceedings of SPIE}, volume = {2022}, booktitle = {Proceedings of SPIE}, number = {12181}, doi = {10.1117/12.2630212}, pages = {1218117 -- 1218117}, year = {2022}, abstract = {It has been known for some time that sputtered low-density coatings deposited under vacuum (e.g. carbon or B4C), applied on top of high-density metallic coatings, can enhance the reflectivity in the soft x-ray band (below ~5 keV). In the last years, we experimented with novel carbonated coatings obtained by dip-liquid deposition, in which a thin film is formed on the surface of a mirror by immersion in a suitable precursor solution. After several attempts with different chemical compounds, we found an optimal candidate both for the reflectivity performance and for the convenience of the deposition process, which is much simpler and inexpensive compared to conventional processes. In particular, such coatings can enhance the soft x-ray response at the reflection angles employed in future telescopes, like ATHENA (ESA), Lynx (NASA) and eXTP (CAS). In this paper we consider the application of dip-liquid overcoatings on conventional coatings (Au, Ir) or in combination with recently proposed chromium overcoatings and their possible uses to enhance the reflectivity of x-ray mirrors at low, medium or higher energies, presenting the first experimental results of x-ray tests on these coatings.}, subject = {R{\"o}ntgenspiegel}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{RivoltaBruniCivitanietal.2022, author = {Rivolta, Giacomo and Bruni, Ricardo and Civitani, Marta Maria and Cotroneo, Vincenzo and D{\"o}hring, Thorsten and Gibertini, Eugenio and Magagnin, Luca and Pareschi, Giovanni and Romaine, Suzanne and Sethares, Leandra and Sironi, Giorgia and Tagliaferri, Gianpiero and Valsecchi, Giuseppe}, title = {Development in carbon-based coatings for X-ray astronomy}, series = {IWXM 2022, 7th International Workshop on Metrology for X-ray Optics, Mirror Design and Fabrication, Berlin, 5th - 8th April 2022}, booktitle = {IWXM 2022, 7th International Workshop on Metrology for X-ray Optics, Mirror Design and Fabrication, Berlin, 5th - 8th April 2022}, year = {2022}, subject = {R{\"o}ntgenastronomie}, language = {en} }