Laue lenses are an emerging technology based on diffraction in crystals that allows the concentration of soft gamma rays. This kind of optics that works in the 100 keV - 1.5 MeV band can be used to realize an highsensitivity and high-angular resolution telescope (in a narrow field of view). This paper reviews the recent progresses that have been done in the development of efficient crystals, in the design study and in the modelisation of the answer of Laue lenses. Through the example of a new concept of 20 m focal length lens focusing in the 100 keV - 600 keV band, the performance of a telescope based on a Laue lens is presented. This lens, uses the most efficient mosaic crystals in each sub-energy range in order to yield the maximum reflectivity. Imaging capabilities are investigated and shows promising results.

Date Published: 31 August 2009
PDF: 11 pages
Proc. SPIE 7437, Optics for EUV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Astronomy IV, 74370K (31 August 2009); doi: 10.1117/12.826138

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 7437:
Optics for EUV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Astronomy IV
Stephen L. O'Dell; Giovanni Pareschi, Editor(s)