Lane diffraction lenses for astrophysics: Theoretical concepts

Beyond the present technologies, Laue diffraction lenses are very promising tools in the field of gamma-ray astrophysics. The theoretical concepts of this kind of instruments are based on the Lane diffraction in crystals, discovered almost 100 years ago. Though they are commonly used in crystallography, their application to gamma-ray focusing in astrophysics requires some specific developments, e.g. in terms of energy and imaging responses. The present article describes the physics of X-ray diffraction in crystals. In the context of the Darwin model of mosaic crystals, some peculiar aspects, relevant to the astrophysical observation, are discussed. The evaluation and optimization of diffraction efficiency are discussed, especially with regards to the crystal's mosaicity and thickness, its spatial extent and deviations to the ideally imperfect Darwin model.