An approach and development plan for the production of replicated variable line spacing X-ray reflection gratings on lightweight substrates is described. The gratings will be arrayed in spectrometers to analyze the soft X-rays gathered by the telescopes flown aboard the European Space Agency (ESA) "X-ray Multi- Mirror Mission" (XMM). The mission requires about 750 gratings to form 3 arrays. Each array provides a grating area of approximately 5 square meters. From relatively few master gratings, the low blaze angle gratings will be replicated onto 55 gram substrates having an equivalent length/thickness aspect ratio □40. We will describe the criteria used for selecting the substrate design and material. A multi-phased study to solve identified technical problems associated with the replication of these gratings is also described. We will report on the present status of the substrates and replication process.

Date Published: 1 February 1991
PDF: 8 pages
Proc. SPIE 1343, X-Ray/EUV Optics for Astronomy, Microscopy, Polarimetry, and Projection Lithography, (1 February 1991); doi: 10.1117/12.23229

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 1343:
X-Ray/EUV Optics for Astronomy, Microscopy, Polarimetry, and Projection Lithography