Hard x-ray optics: from HEFT to NuSTAR
Abstract
Focusing optics are now poised to dramatically improve the sensitivity and angular resolution at energies above 10 keV to levels that were previously unachievable by the past generation of background limited collimated and coded-aperture instruments. Active balloon programs (HEFT), possible Explorer-class satellites (NuSTAR - currently under Phase A study), and major X-ray observatories (Con-X HXT) using focusing optics will play a major role in future observations of a wide range of objects including young supernova remnants, active galactic nuclei, and galaxy clusters. These instruments call for low cost, grazing incidence optics coated with depth-graded multilayer films that can be nested to achieve large collecting areas. Our approach to building such instruments is to mount segmented mirror shells with our novel error-compensating, monolithic assembly and alignment (EMAAL) procedure. This process involves constraining the mirror segments to successive layers of graphite rods that are precisely machined to the required conic-approximation Wolter-I geometry. We present results of our continued development of thermally formed glass substrates that have been used to build three HEFT telescopes and are proposed for NuSTAR. We demonstrate how our experience in manufacturing complete HEFT telescopes, as well as our experience developing higher performance prototype optics, will lead to the successful production of telescopes that meet the NuSTAR design goals.
Additional Information
© 2004 SPIE. Special Thanks to the staff at ESRF for their assistance with the high-energy measurements. This work is supported by a NASA grant to Columbia University: NAG5-5260 (Thermally Formed Optics for X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Astronomy), and by NASA grants to the California Institute of Technology with sub-awards to Columbia: Caltech No. 1019776 (High Energy Focusing Telescope) and Caltech No. 1046806 (Critical Technologies for the Constellation Hard X-Ray Telescope).Attached Files
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Additional details
- Eprint ID
- 84196
- Resolver ID
- CaltechAUTHORS:20180109-134841660
- NAG5-5260
- NASA
- 1019776
- NASA
- 1046806
- NASA
- Created
-
2018-01-09Created from EPrint's datestamp field
- Updated
-
2021-11-15Created from EPrint's last_modified field
- Caltech groups
- NuSTAR, Space Radiation Laboratory
- Series Name
- Proceedings of SPIE
- Series Volume or Issue Number
- 5488