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Starting in 1951, on the 50th anniversary of the award of the first Nobel Prize for physics
to Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, the Lord Mayor of the German city of Remscheid has annually awarded
Röntgen Medals to scientists who "in the broadest sense have made a special contribution to the
progress and dissemination of X-ray discoveries in the theoretical and applied sciences". The
Röntgen Medal has become highly recognized in the scientific world. To date, more than one
hundred scientists have received this honour. Through their chronology, this contribution presents a
"Who’s Who" of X-ray science and provides selected insights into their scientific work; with special
focus on the fields of X-ray optics and X-ray astronomy.
We address the problem of estimation the sensitivity of astronomical X-ray telescopes of Lobster Eye type , with emphasis on calculation of effective areas for telescopes designed for rocket and CubeSat flights. This parameter is one of the principal parameters when justifying the real space application. Indeed, the larger the effective area is, the more efficient the optical system is, able to provide images of fainter and more distant celestial targets. We discuss the estimation of the effective collecting area of a X-ray telescope by two different methods and then compare the results: the analytical method and then the simulation algorithm.
X-ray telescopes usually operate in space and are quite different from astronomical telescopes for visible light. For normal angles of incidence, optical light is reflected on the mirror surface, whereas X-rays are either transmitted or absorbed. However, also high reflectivity X-rays mirrors are possible, when the incident rays direction is almost parallel to the mirror surface. Such grazing incidence mirrors are usually coated with thin layers of precious metals like iridium, gold or platinum, as this result in high X-ray reflectivity. These noble metals offer a wide range of reflection up to high photon energies, but, due to a series of absorption edges, have low reflectivity in the 2 - 4 keV band and below. This contribution presents the development of innovative material combinations based on thin layers of iridium and chromium, followed by an additional layer of carbon-based materials. We also discuss corresponding production methods (like dip coating) for enhanced reflectivity mirror coatings of future X-ray telescopes.
In the years 2016 to 2018 the Bavarian-Czech Academic Agency (BTHA) funded in summary four bilateral projects between
Aschaffenburg University and CVUT Prague: JEUMICO, TRILAMICO, JODEXRA, and AXROCO. The effective combination
of equipment, manpower, and know-how of both partners resulted in the development of stress-compensated iridium
coatings for astronomical X-ray mirrors. The findings have been published at scientific conferences and in joint papers. This
poster gives a review on the social , political and educational aspects of the collaborations in form of a photo documentation.