Aligning, bonding, and testing mirrors for lightweight x-ray telescopes

Abstract

High-resolution, high throughput optics for x-ray astronomy entails fabrication of well-formed mirror segments and their integration with arc-second precision. In this paper, we address issues of aligning and bonding thin glass mirrors with negligible additional distortion. Stability of the bonded mirrors and the curing of epoxy used in bonding them were tested extensively. We present results from tests of bonding mirrors onto experimental modules, and on the stability of the bonded mirrors tested in x-ray. These results demonstrate the fundamental validity of the methods used in integrating mirrors into telescope module, and reveal the areas for further investigation. The alignment and integration methods are applicable to the astronomical mission concept such as STAR-X, the Survey and Time-domain Astronomical Research Explorer.

Kinematic alignment and bonding of silicon mirrors for high-resolution astronomical x-ray optics

“…These technologies, the requirements for astronomical x-ray optics in general, and how they can be used to implement mission concept for future large, high resolution astronomical x-ray telescope, is reviewed 12 in a paper by Zhang, et al Integration of mirrors with thin (typically 0.2 -0.5 mm), segmented, substrates can be broadly divided into two camps of approaches. One approach is to fabricate mirror segments precisely to meet the telescope requirements, and mount them into telescope housings independently of each other with negligible distortion 13 . In this case, the only coupling between the individual mirror is through the housing/module they commonly reside in.…”