Single-element elliptical hard x-ray micro-optics

Using micro-fabrication techniques, we have manufactured a single element kinoform lens in single-crystal silicon with an elliptical profile for 12.398 keV (1Angstrom) x-rays. By fabricating a lens that is optimized at fixed wavelengths, absorption in the lens material can be significantly reduced by removing 2pi phase-shifting regions. This permits short focal length devices to be fabricated with small radii of curvatures at the lens apex. This feature allows one to obtain a high demagnification of a finite synchrotron electron source size. The reduced absorption loss also enables optics with a larger aperture, and hence improved resolution for focussing and imaging applications. Our first trial of these lenses has resulted in a one micron line focus (fwhm) at the National Synchrotron Light Source X13B beamline. (C) 2003 Optical Society of America.