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We report on the measurement of the highest purity of polarization of X-rays to date. The measurements are performed by combining a brilliant undulator source with an X-ray polarimeter. The polarimeter is composed of a polarizer and an analyzer, each based on four reflections at channel-cut crystals with a Bragg angle very close to 45°. Experiments were performed at three different X-ray energies, using different Bragg reflections: Si(400) at 6457.0 eV, Si(444) at 11,183.8 eV, and Si(800) at 12,914.0 eV. At 6 keV a polarization purity of 1.5 × 10− 9 is achieved. This is an improvement by more than two orders of magnitude as compared to previously reported values. The polarization purity decreases slightly for shorter X-ray wavelengths. The sensitivity of the polarimeter is discussed with respect to a proposed experiment that aims at the detection of the birefringence of vacuum induced by super-strong laser fields.

K-shell spectra of targets with microstructured features irradiated by an intense femtosecond laser have been studied. Examination of Kα emission from laser irradiated Si targets coated with micron-scale polystyrene spheres indicates that the emission is enhanced by a factor of ∼3 over emission from planar solids. Sphere-coated targets also emit K-shell He-like Si radiation indicating the presence of a hot dense plasma beneath the microspheres. Furthermore, Kα from Ti foils coupled to micro-tipped reentrant pyramid and wedge shaped targets has been studied, however, no significant enhancement of the Kα yield is observed for these kinds of targets. These studies illustrate that, with correct tailoring of the target surface, field enhancements can be used to increase X-ray emission from intensely irradiated targets.

Theoretical design of a new type of the bent crystal spectrometer based on a combination of the vertical dispersion principle with diffraction of x rays from the asymmetrically cut crystal is reported. The novel instrument produces simultaneously two sets of mirror-symmetric spectra, and provides large dispersion, high spectral and 1D spatial resolution with a variable magnification. The analytic formulas describing the function of the spectrometer are complemented by its detailed quantitative analysis based on the ray tracing procedure. The method for reconstruction of the recorded spectra is described, the parameters influencing the precision of the wavelength determination are discussed. The comparison of the main predicted and experimentally observed characteristics verifies the developed theory and demonstrates the spectrometer performance. The novel instrument is particularly suitable for precise measurements of profiles and positions of the narrow-band spectral features observed in the emission of laser-generated plasmas.

A crystal spectrometer has been constructed in the Focusing Compensated Asymmetric Laue geometry covering the energy range between 30 and 120 keV. We summarize the crystal optics and show the usefulness of the instrument for spectroscopy of stationary and fast moving X-ray sources. Results are reported from several tests employing a 169 Yb gamma-ray source and the Lyman radiation of one-electron Au 78+ ions travelling at a velocity corresponding to β = v / c o ≈0.44.

This article describes an efficient method for the simultaneous measurement of the integrated reflectivity of a crystal in multiple orders of reflection at a predefined Bragg angle by using the bremsstrahlung continuum from an x-ray tube in combination with an energy-sensitive detector. The technique is demonstrated with a mica crystal for Bragg angles of 43°, 47°, and 50°. The measured integrated reflectivity for Bragg reflections up to the 24th order is compared with theoretical predictions, which are also presented in this article.

We present a new x-ray spectrometer setup based on a conically curved mica crystal in the von Hamos configuration. An x-ray sensitive charge coupled device or streak camera can be easily coupled in a perpendicular orientation to the spectrally resolved x-ray line focus. Shifting the crystal along its axis of symmetry allows one to change the dispersion and the signal flux density on the detector. A large spectral range at high resolution and adjustable signal intensity is accessible with this setup.

Essential parameters for the application of crystals to quantitative X-ray spectroscopy are the upper wavelength limit and the quantitative reflection properties (intrinsic resolving power, luminosity) of the crystal. Due to the large lattice constant, muscovite, a mica group mineral, can be used in the wavelength range up to about 2nm. Muscovite crystals can be bent to small radii of curvature due to their favourable cleavage and elastic properties. Characteristic reflection properties at reflections 002 – 00 24 were investigated theoretically and experimentally. The integrated reflectivity was calculated for various reflections of perfect flat as well as spherically bent muscovite crystals with curvature radii R = 100 and R = 186mm. It was measured for flat crystals in the reflections 00 10 – 00 26 using CuKα- and MoKα-radiation from X-ray tubes and compared with calculations for both perfect and mosaic crystals. Available high-quality muscovite crystals have a mosaic structure with a mosaic spread of about 1 arcmin. This mosaic spread limits the spectral resolving power for high reflection orders.

Theoretical and experimental methods for the characterization of the reflection properties of flat and bent crystals are presented. The computer code DIXI for the simulation of reflection curves in the Bragg case is briefly described.Essential effects of the dynamical theory of x-ray diffraction are illustrated with selected examples. Results from diffractometric and topographic methods for quality control of bent crystals are presented.

We have performed an analyzer crystal based phase contrast imaging (ABI) experiment using a rotating anode x-ray source. The use of such an incoherent source demonstrates the potential of ABI as a quantitative characterization tool for the laboratory environment. A phase contrast image of a plastic phantom was recorded on high resolution x-ray film and the projected thickness was retrieved from a single image. The projected thickness recovered from the phase contrast image was shown to quantitatively agree with a reference optical microscope measurement.

A double crystal diffractometer (DCD) for testing LiF crystals is presented. It is possible to distinguish in a relatively short measuring time (nearly 10 minutes including change of sample and adjustment) between crystals with block desorientation angles >1′ and ≦ 1′ (1′ = 0.291 · 10−3 rad). The extention of area registered during a measurement depends on the kind of section of crystal and the kind of reflection; at the examination of {100}-cleavage faces of LiF an elliptical area of a height of 15 mm and a length of 115 mm is registered.

A two-crystal diffractometer (TCD) for testing the mosaic structure of LiF crystals is presented. Peculiarities are the adapted sensivity (angular minutes), short measuring times, large registered areas and the possibility of application for various kinds of surface treatment. Es wird eine Zweikristallanordnung zur Blockstrukturanalyse von Rontgenanalysator- und -kollimatorkristallen vorgestellt. Besonderheiten bestehen in der angepasten Nachweisempfindlichkeit (Winkelminutenbereich), kurzen Abtastzeiten, grosen Registriergebieten und in der Eignung fur unterschiedliche Bearbeitungszustande der Oberflache.