A5021881894- Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations
- Advanced X-ray Imaging Techniques
- Adaptive optics and wavefront sensing
- Particle Detector Development and Performance
- X-ray Spectroscopy and Fluorescence Analysis
- Advanced X-ray and CT Imaging
- Advanced Measurement and Metrology Techniques
- Astronomical Observations and Instrumentation
- Optical Systems and Laser Technology
- Surface Roughness and Optical Measurements
- Calibration and Measurement Techniques
- Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena
- Advanced Surface Polishing Techniques
- Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae
- Advanced Semiconductor Detectors and Materials
- Particle Accelerators and Free-Electron Lasers
- Optical measurement and interference techniques
- Scientific Measurement and Uncertainty Evaluation
- CCD and CMOS Imaging Sensors
- Nuclear Physics and Applications
- Acoustic Wave Resonator Technologies
- Astronomy and Astrophysical Research
- Laser-Plasma Interactions and Diagnostics
- Ferroelectric and Piezoelectric Materials
- Semiconductor Lasers and Optical Devices
Brera Astronomical Observatory
2006-2023
National Institute for Astrophysics
2009-2022
Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian
2009-2020
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
2011-2019
Harvard University
2014
Active Technologies (Italy)
2009
Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics
2009
University of Milan
2009
Lynx is a concept under study for prioritization in the 2020 Astrophysics Decadal Survey. Providing orders of magnitude increase sensitivity over Chandra, will examine first black holes and their galaxies, map large-scale structure galactic halos, shed new light on environments young stars planetary systems. In order to meet science goals, telescope consists high-angular resolution optical assembly complemented by an instrument suite that may include High Definition X-ray Imager,...
Piezoelectric PbZr(0.52)Ti(0.48)O(3) (PZT) thin films deposited on glass substrates have been proposed for adjustable optics in future x-ray telescopes. The light weight of these enables large collecting areas, while the capability to correct mirror figure errors with PZT film will allow much higher imaging resolution than possible conventional lightweight optics. However, low strain temperature and flexible nature complicate use chemical-solution deposition due warping substrate at typical...
SMART-X is a mission concept for 2.3 m<sup>2</sup> effective area, 0.5" angular resolution X-ray telescope, with 5' FOV, 1" pixel size microcalorimeter, 22' FOV imager, and high-throughput gratings.
Thin x-ray optics with high angular resolution (≤ 0.5 arcsec) over a wide field of view enable the study number astrophysically important topics and feature prominently in Lynx, next-generation observatory concept currently under NASA study. In an effort to address this technology need, piezoelectrically adjustable, thin mirror segments capable figure correction after mounting on-orbit are development. We report on fabrication characterization adjustable cylindrical slumped glass optic. This...
Lynx, a next generation X-ray observatory concept currently under study, requires lightweight, high spatial resolution mirrors. Here we detail the development and fabrication of one candidate technologies for piezoelectric adjustable optics. These mirrors are thin glass shell with Cr/Ir reflective coatings on mirror side film actuators actuator side. Magnetron sputtering was used to deposit metal electrodes metal-oxide layers. The (Pb0.995(Zr0.52Ti0.48)0.99Nb0.01O3) divided into 112...
The Beam Expander Testing X-ray facility (BEaTriX) is a unique apparatus now operated at the Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF), Osservatorio Astronomico Brera (OAB), in Merate, Italy. It has been specifically designed to measure point spread function (PSF) and effective area (EA) of mirror modules (MMs) Advanced Telescope for High-ENergy Astrophysics (ATHENA), based on silicon pore optics (SPO) technology, verification before integration into assembly. To this end, BEaTriX generates...
X-ray mirrors are usually built in the Wolter I (paraboloid-hyperboloid) configuration. This design exhibits no spherical aberration on-axis but suffers from field curvature, coma and astigmatism, therefore angular resolution degrades rapidly with increasing off-axis angles. Different mirror designs exist which primary secondary profiles expanded as a power series order to increase at large positions, expanses of performances. Here we present global trade off study an systems based on...
The direct deposition of piezoelectric thin films on substrates offers an appealing technology for the realization lightweight adjustable mirrors capable sub-arcsecond resolution. This solution will make it possible to realize X-ray telescopes with both large effective area and exceptional angular resolution and, in particular, enable optics proposed mission Square Meter Arcsecond Resolution Telescope (SMART-X). In past years we demonstrated first time possibility depositing a working film...
We describe progress in the development of adjustable grazing incidence X-ray optics for 0.5 arcsec resolution cosmic imaging. To date, no technology is available to blend high imaging like Chandra Observatory, with square meter collecting area. Our approach achieve these goals simultaneously directly deposit thin film piezoelectric actuators on back surface thin, lightweight Wolter-I or Wolter- Schwarschild mirror segments. The are used correct figure errors due fabrication, mounting and...
The future of x-ray astronomy depends upon development telescopes with larger aperture areas (≈ 3 m<sup>2</sup>) and fine angular resolution 1″). Combined the special requirements nested grazing-incidence optics, mass envelope constraints space-borne render such advances technologically programmatically challenging. Achieving this goal will require precision fabrication, alignment, mounting, assembly large 600 lightweight 1 kg/m<sup>2 </sup>areal density) high-quality mirrors at an...
In order to advance significantly scientific objectives, future x-ray astronomy missions will likely call for telescopes with large aperture areas (≈ 3 m<sup>2</sup>) and fine angular resolution 1<sup>2</sup>). Achieving such performance is programmatically technologically challenging due the mass envelope constraints of space-borne need densely nested grazing-incidence optics. Such an telescope require precision fabrication, alignment, mounting, assembly 600 m2) lightweight 2...
A number of X-ray astronomical missions near future will make use hard optics with broad-band multilayer coatings. However mirrors can be also useful to enhance the effective area a given telescope in "classical" low energy band (0.1 - 10 keV), window where spectroscopy provides very plasma diagnostics) consistent gain respect usual single-layer reflectors. Multilayers for soft X-rays are based on stacks constant d-spacing (in order minimize loss due photoelectric effect). further...
The New Hard X-ray Mission (NHXM) Italian project will be operated by 2016. It is based on 4 hard optics modules, each formed 60 evenly spaced multilayer coated Wolter I mirror shells. For the achievement of a long focal length (10 m) an extensible bench used. pseudo-cylindrical monolithic substrates where coating applied produced using Ni electroforming replica approach. three four modules plane host hybrid detector system, consisting in combination Si-based low energy (efficient from 0.5...
We report on technical progress made over the past year developing thin film piezoelectric adjustable grazing incidence optics. believe such mirror technology represents a solution to problem of lightweight, sub-arc second imaging resolution X-ray Such optics will be critical development next decade astronomical observatories as SMART-X, Square Meter Arc Second Resolution Telescope. SMART-X is logical heir Chandra, with 30 times collecting area and Chandra-like resolution, greatly expand...
We report on improvements in our efforts to control and characterize piezoelectrically adjustable, thin glass optics. In the past, an optical profilometer a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor have been used measure influence functions for at adjustable mirror. An electronics system has since developed > 100 actuator cells full calibration of high-yield The calibrated induce pre-determined figure change mirror, representing first attempt Furthermore, we adapted metrology systems cylindrical...
Addressing the astrophysical problems of 2020's requires sub-arcsecond x-ray imaging with square meter effective area. Such requirements can be derived, for example, by considering deep surveys to find young black holes in early universe (large redshifts) which will grow into first super-massive holes. We have envisioned a mission, Square Meter Arcsecond Resolution Telescope X-rays (SMART-X), based on adjustable optics technology, incorporating mirrors required small ratio mass collecting...
We describe progress in the development of adjustable grazing incidence X-ray optics for 0.5 arcsec resolution cosmic imaging. To date, no technology is available to blend high imaging like Chandra Observatory, with square meter collecting area. Our approach achieve these goals simultaneously directly deposit thin film piezoelectric actuators on back surface thin, lightweight Wolter-I or Wolter- Schwarschild mirror segments. The are used correct figure errors due fabrication, mounting and...
<i>Aims. <i/>Focusing mirrors for X-ray telescopes in grazing incidence, introduced the 70s, are characterized terms of their performance by imaging quality and effective area, which turn determines sensitivity. Even though on-axis area is assumed general to characterize collecting power an optic, telescope capability extended sources also determined variation its with off-axis angle. The general, decreases as source moves off-axis, causing a loss sensitivity peripheral regions telescope's...
Simbol‐X will push grazing incidence imaging up to 80 keV, providing a strong improvement both in sensitivity and angular resolution compared all instruments that have operated so far above 10 keV. The superb hard X‐ray capability be guaranteed by mirror module of 100 electroformed Nickel shells with multilayer reflecting coating. Here we describe the technogical development solutions adopted for fabrication module, must guarantee an Half Energy Width (HEW) better than 20 arcsec from 0.5 30...
In the half century since initial discovery of an astronomical (non-solar) x-ray source, observation time required to achieve a given sensitivity has decreased by eight orders magnitude. Largely responsible for this dramatic progress been refinement (grazing-incidence) focusing telescope, culminating with exquisite subarcsecond imaging performance Chandra X-ray Observatory. The future astronomy relies upon development telescopes larger aperture areas (< 1 m<sup>2</sup>) and comparable or...
The proposed SMART-X telescope includes adaptive optics systems that use piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT) films deposited on flexible glass substrates. Several processing constraints are imposed by current designs: the crystallization temperature must be kept below 550 °C, total stress in film minimized, and yield 1 cm<sup>2</sup> actuator elements should < 90%. For this work, RF magnetron sputtering was used to deposit since chemical solution deposition (CSD) led warping...
The proposed Lynx telescope is an X-ray observatory with Chandra-like angular resolution and about 30 times larger effective area. technology under development at SAO based on the deposition of piezoelectric material back glass substrates, used to correct longer wavelength figure errors. This requires a large number (about 8000) figured segments sufficient quality be in range correctibility actuators. Thermal forming thin offers convenient approach, being intrinsically smooth surfaces (which...
The BEaTriX (Beam Expander Testing X-ray) facility is now operative at the INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico Brera (Merate, Italy). This has been specifically designed and built for X-ray acceptance tests (PSF Effective Area) of ATHENA Silicon Pore Optics (SPO) Mirror Modules (MM). unique setup creates a parallel, monochromatic, large beam, that fully illuminates aperture MMs, generating an image focal length 12 m. made possible by microfocus source followed chain optical components (a...