Recent updates
■ High contrast resolution targets for X-ray imaging now available. (4.2021)
■ X-ray lenses: compound refractive lens (CRL). User publication list (excerpts) added! (7.2020)
■ X-ray gratings for Talbot interferometry. User publication list (excerpts) added! (6.2020)
Meet us at:
■ XNPIG International Conference on X-ray and Neutron Phase Imaging with Gratings
20-24.10.2019, Sendai International Center, Sendai, Japan
■ NSRRC Users' Meeting and Workshop
17-20.9.2019, NSRRC, Hsinchu, Taiwan
The X-ray Compound Refractive Lens, CRL, developed by Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is a refractive lens focusing monochromatic hard X-rays to line or point focus.
1. Compound refractive lens (CRL)
As the refractive index of X-ray in materials is slightly smaller than 1, the X-ray lens has a biconcave lens element and each focusing element has a very small focal length. By aligning many pieces of the elements linearly, the focal length can significantly reduced down to a several cm range.
With more lens elements, the focal length becomes shorter
2. X-ray lens standard design
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Lens type VHVH focusing (designs #1357, #1405) Point focusing is achieved by arranging a pair of one-directional focusing lens rows crossed under 90°. Suitable for energy > 5 keV (monochromatic), focal length > several cm. Lens physical aperture up to 1,500 µm and focal point size down to 1 µm x 1 µm. 0° lens holder optional. Fresnel lens type also available. |
3. Focusing example
Focusing example at BL10XU, SPring-8, Japan.
Lens type: former standard design #1092, point focusing. Courtesy of Dr Yasuo Ohishi, JASRI/SPring-8
Shigehiko Tateno, Kei Hirose, Yasuo Ohishi, Yoshiyuki Tatsumi
Science 330, 359 (2010) DOI: 10.1126/science.1194662
The Structure of Iron in Earth‘s Inner Core
4. Comparison with other focusing elements
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Comparison with FZP - Using refractive effect, no diffraction different order light is expected (even in Fresnel type lenses). - Large aperture lenses available (up to 2,000 µm, depending on the design) | |
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Comparison with KB Mirrors - Optic axis does not change with the lens - You can expect a far shorter set-up time. See the X-ray optic products brochure for the required alignment precision of the lens stage. - You only need to prepare one location for the lens plate to make a point focus. | |
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Unique strengths of CRL - Multiple lens rows with different arrangements for different optical set-ups on single substrate. - The lens is delivered after the optimisation for your set-up, depending on e.g. source distance, photon energy, requested focal length and incident beam size. |
5. Manufacturer
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) / IMT has a long experience in the LIGA micro fabrication technology and has applied it to manufacture X-ray optic products. ASICON Tokyo Ltd. serves as its local distributor in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.
6. Publications by CRL users at SPring-8 (recent excerpts)
▶[BL09XU] X-ray pumping of the 229Th nuclear clock isomer. T Masuda et al., Nature volume 573, pages 238–242 (2019)
▶[BL10XU] New developments in high-pressure X-ray diffraction beamline for diamond anvil cell at SPring-8. N Hirao et al., Matter and Radiation at Extremes 5, 018403 (2020)
▶[BL10XU] Equation of State of Liquid Iron under Extreme Conditions. Y Kuwayama et al., Physical Review Letters 124, 165701 (2020)
▶[BL13XU] Ferroelastic domain motion by pulsed electric field in (111)/(111¯) rhombohedral epitaxial Pb(Zr0.65Ti0.35)O3 thin films: Fast switching and relaxation. Y Ehara, et al., Phys. Rev. B, 100, 10416 (2019)
▶[BL13XU and 15XU] Charge screening strategy for domain pattern control in nano-scale ferroelectric systems. T Yamada et al., Sci. Rep. 7, 5236 (2017)
▶[BL15XU] Time-resolved X-ray diffraction system for study of Pb(Zr, Ti)O3 films under a temporal electric field at BL15XU, SPring-8. O Seo et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 90, 093001 (2019)
▶[BL22XU] Development of an apparatus for Bragg coherent X-ray diffraction imaging, and its application to the three dimensional imaging of BaTiO3 nano-crystals. K Ohwada et al., Japanese Journal of Applied Physics 58, SLLA05 (2019) 58 SLLA05
▶[BL22XU] Improving Fatigue Performance of Laser-Welded 2024-T3 Aluminum Alloy Using Dry Laser Peening. T Sano et al., Metals, 9, 1192, 2019
▶[BL24XU]「樹脂射出成形品の板厚断面方向の結晶化度分布解析」舟本三恵 他, 兵庫県ビームライン年報・成果集 Vol. 5, 6, pp.33-36, 2017
▶[BL39XU]「Ｘ線屈折レンズとKBミラーによる二段階ナノ集光光学系の開発」鈴木基寛 他, SPring-8/SACLA 利用研究成果集 Vol. 8 No. 1
▶[BL41XU] Low-dose X-ray structure analysis of cytochrome c oxidase utilizing high-energy X-rays. G Ueno et al., J. Synchrotron Rad. (2019). 26, 912-921
▶[BL43LXU] X-ray Phase-Contrast Imaging and Metrology through Unified Modulated Pattern. MC Zdora et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 203903 (2017)
X-ray optics and micro fabrication (LIGA)
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology,
microworks GmbH
Microfluidic devices