TY - CHAP A1 - Stehlikova, Veronika A1 - Proserpio, Laura A1 - Friedrich, Peter A1 - Madarasz, Emanuel A1 - Breunig, Elias A1 - Burwitz, Vadim A1 - Döhring, Thorsten A1 - Probst, Anne-Catherine T1 - Indirect glass slumping of grazing incidence mirror segments for lightweight x-ray telescopes T2 - Proceedings of the International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE) N2 - The paper provides a description of recent progress in the development of lightweight, precision and highthroughput grazing-incidence mirrors for X-ray astronomy made of glass. In particular, the indirect slumping technology under investigation at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE) is reviewed and recent activities are presented together with the research approach. The glass slumping technique foresees several steps: a thermal forming process using a suitable mould; a re ective layer application; the alignment and integration of mirror segments into a supporting structure; and the � nal veri� cation of prototype modules using X-rays. Each step is considered at MPE, with the involvement of partner institutes and universities. The last year of activities was mainly dedicated to the procurement of new moulds and to the application of Iridium coating. The main results will be presented. KW - X-ray KW - iridium KW - telescope KW - slumping KW - glass KW - Iridium KW - Röntgenteleskop Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2272671 VL - 2017 IS - 10399 SP - 103991Z-1 EP - 103991Z-7 PB - SPIE ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Stehlikova, Veronika A1 - Döhring, Thorsten A1 - Schäfer, Tobias A1 - Stollenwerk, Manfred A1 - Friedrich, Peter A1 - Burwitz, Vadim A1 - Hartner, Gisela A1 - Bradshaw, Miranda A1 - Liao, Yingyu A1 - Pelliciari, Carlo T1 - X-ray reflectivity measurements at chromium-iridium tri-layer coatings T2 - Proceedings of SPIE N2 - Studying astronomical objects in the X-ray regime, iridium-based layer systems are highly effective reflective materials for telescopes mirrors. Aschaffenburg University and the Czech Technical University in Prague jointly developed stress compensated chromium-iridium coatings. To overcome the disturbing reflectivity reduction of the iridium absorption edge around 2 keV photon energy and improve general reflectivity at lower incident energies, thin overcoat layers of chromium have been applied in addition. Corresponding measurements at several X-ray lines have been performed on these samples at the PANTER test facility of the Max-Planck Institute for extraterrestrial Physics. A part of the experimental results and their comparison with theoretical simulations are presented in this contribution. KW - iridium KW - mirror KW - coating KW - reflectivity KW - X-ray KW - Röntgenastronomie KW - Röntgenteleskop Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/12.2530439 VL - 2019 IS - 11119 SP - 111191L-1 EP - 111191L-6 ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Pareschi, Giovanni A1 - Civitani, Marta Maria A1 - Sironi, Giorgia A1 - Yang, Yang A1 - Cotroneo, Vincenzo A1 - Valsecchi, Giuseppe A1 - Magagnin, Luca A1 - Döhring, Thorsten A1 - Bradshaw, Miranda A1 - Burwitz, Vadim A1 - Pelliciari, Carlo T1 - Reflectivity-enhancement at low x-ray energies in astronomical telescopes using low-density overcoatings: alternative materials and deposition methods T2 - Proceedings of SPIE N2 - 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. KW - coating KW - X-ray KW - telescope KW - iridium KW - Röntgenteleskop Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2532392 VL - 2019 IS - 11119 SP - 11119OS-1 EP - 11119OS-13 PB - SPIE ER - TY - GEN A1 - Giovanni, Pareschi A1 - Döhring, Thorsten A1 - Valsecchi, Guiseppe A1 - Magagnin, Luca A1 - Bradshaw, Miranda A1 - Burwitz, Vadim A1 - Civitani, Marta Maria A1 - Cotroneo, Vincenzo A1 - Gibertini, Eugenio A1 - Pelliciari, Carlo A1 - Sironi, Giorgia A1 - Yang, Yang T1 - Enhancing the ATHENA effective area at low x-ray energies with unconventional overcoatings T2 - Proceedings of the X-RAY ASTRONOMY 2019 conference N2 - 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. N2 - Poster KW - X-ray KW - mirror KW - coating KW - reflectivity KW - ATHENA KW - Röntgenteleskop Y1 - 2019 UR - https://indico.ict.inaf.it/event/720/contributions/5665/ VL - 2019 SP - 1 EP - 1 ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Döhring, Thorsten A1 - Stieglitz, Veronika A1 - Friedrich, Peter A1 - Burwitz, Vadim A1 - Jelinek, Martin A1 - Hudec, Rene T1 - Testing of lobster-eye type telescopes with X-rays and visible light T2 - SPIE Proceedings N2 - Reflective coatings for astronomical X-ray optics were developed at the “Aschaffenburg Competence Center for Astronomical and Space Instrumentation” (ACCASI) since several years. As part of a Bavarian-Czech cooperation between the Technical University of Aschaffenburg and the Czech Technical University of Prague, now two mechanically identical telescopes were built. One telescope optic was equipped with conventional gold-coated mirrors, manufactured by the Czech project partners. The 34 X-ray mirrors of the second telescope use an innovative coating system made of chromium and iridium, which was applied at the Aschaffenburg coating laboratory. Both telescopes are designed according to the bionic principle of a reflecting lobster eye. The optics works with two consecutive reflections on mutually perpendicular mirror surfaces. This enables a large field of view with many square degrees in diameter, which, however, comes at the price of a reduced angular resolution. An extensive X-ray characterization of these telescopes was carried out at the PANTER test facility of MPE, which simulates parallel starlight incident on the telescopes. The telescopes have an angular resolution of about 4 arc minutes in X-rays and a focal length of about 2 meters. Furthermore, the used X-ray mirrors reflect and focus visible light as well and this functionality in the optical regime was checked in laboratory tests. Now another test campaign was done to examine the telescope resolution for real objects of the visible sky and the imaging properties for star constellations. Such functional tests by observing astronomical objects of the visible sky may simplify and accelerate the development of X-ray telescopes for satellite applications. KW - X-rays KW - Telescopes KW - X-ray telescopes KW - Reflection KW - Mirrors KW - Röntgenteleskop Y1 - 2023 U6 - https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2665429 VL - 2023 IS - 12576 SP - 1257606-1 EP - 1257606-5 PB - SPIE ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Stehlikova, Veronika A1 - Döhring, Thorsten A1 - Stollenwerk, Manfred A1 - Stadtmüller, Johannes A1 - Marsikova, Veronika A1 - Hudec, Rene A1 - Flachs, Dennis A1 - Burwitz, Vadim A1 - Hartner, Gisela A1 - Rukdee, Surangkhana A1 - Müller, Thomas A1 - Schmidt, Thomas A1 - Inneman, Adolf A1 - Klementova, Mariana A1 - Zeising, Sebastian A1 - Langmeier, Andreas T1 - Lobster eye type X-ray telescope with chromium-iridium coated tri-layer mirrors T2 - Proceedings of SPIE N2 - For space-born astronomical X-ray telescopes, iridium-based reflective layer systems are known as highly effective mirrors coatings. During the recent years, Aschaffenburg University of Applied Sciences and the Czech Technical University in Prague jointly developed stress compensated chromium-iridium coatings for this application. To overcome the disturbing reflectivity reduction of the iridium absorption edge around 2 keV photon energy, thin overcoat layers of chromium were applied in addition. Now a prototype of a wide-field, imaging X-ray telescope of Lobster Eye type is assembled at the company RIGAKU. For this purpose a small series of 34 mirrors based on 100 x 50 mm semiconductor grade silicon substrates has been coated at Aschaffenburg University. The applied tri-layer system consists of a stack of 40 nm chromium, which act as adhesive layer and compensates layer stress, a 30 nm iridium thick reflective layer, and an additional overcoat layer of 6 nm chromium. This layer system have been analysed by AFM and TEM images. The mirrors are assembled into an aluminium frame to build a 2D Lobster Eye type telescope. The designed focal length of this wide field X-ray telescope is two meter. To study the performance of the tri-layer coating system, a twin LE telescope with convenient gold coatings was manufactured also. Performance measurements of both telescopes and under same conditions are planned at the PANTER test facility at the Max-Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics. First experimental results, their comparison with theoretical simulations and the comparison between both models will be presented in this contribution. KW - telescope KW - Lobster Eye KW - X-ray KW - mirror KW - iridium KW - Röntgenteleskop KW - Röntgenspiegel Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2589266 VL - 2021 IS - 11776 SP - 1177605-1 EP - 1177605-8 PB - SPIE ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Döhring, Thorsten A1 - Stollenwerk, Manfred A1 - Stadtmüller, Johannes A1 - Zeising, Sebastian A1 - Flachs, Dennis A1 - Stehlikova, Veronika A1 - Burwitz, Vadim A1 - Krumrey, Michael K. A1 - Cotroneo, Vincenzo A1 - Klementova, Mariana T1 - Characterisation of X-ray mirrors based on chromium-iridium tri-layer coatings T2 - Proceedings of SPIE N2 - Iridium-based layer systems are highly effective mirror coatings for space-born X-ray telescopes. During the recent years, Aschaffenburg University of Applied Sciences and its partners developed stress compensated chromium-iridium coatings for such astronomical applications, using chromium as an adhesive layer between iridium reflective layer and mirror substrate. However, there was room for improvement: To overcome the disturbing reflectivity reduction of the iridium absorption edge around 2 keV photon energy, thin overcoat layers of chromium are applied in addition now. This layer system has been analyzed by atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images. Furthermore, the reflectivity of such innovative X-ray mirrors based on chromium-iridium tri-layer coatings was recently measured at PTB's four-crystal monochromator beamline at the synchrotron radiation facility BESSY II. The experimental results, obtained for photon energies between 1.9 keV and 11 keV at two grazing incidence angles (0.6 degree and 0.9 degree) and their comparison with corresponding simulations are presented in this contribution. When compared to simulations of pure iridium coatings, a significantly higher reflectivity was achieved especially in the soft X-ray regime between 2 keV and 4 keV. Such chromium-iridium tri-layer coatings have high potential to increase the effective area for X-ray telescopes in Lobster Eye Design, for Wolter-I type X-ray optics, and for silicon pore optics as considered for the ATHENA telescope of the European Space Agency. KW - iridium KW - mirror KW - X-ray KW - coating KW - telescope KW - Röntgenspiegel KW - Röntgenteleskop KW - Iridium Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2592551 VL - 2021 IS - 11776 SP - 1177607-1 EP - 11776076 PB - SPIE ER -