Micro-Optics Test Bench based hard X-ray source

In 2015, within the implementation of the grant № 14.Y26.31.0002 by the Ministry of Science and Education of the Russian Federation, the optics test bench has been assembled in the Coherent Optics laboratory at the Baltic Federal University. The main goal of the optics test bench is the development and characterization of micro/nano-focusing optical elements. The facility is built as flexible as possible in order to support the characterization of a large variety of optical systems including refractive lenses, Bragg- Fresnel lenses, Fresnel zone plates, reflective optics based either on mirrors or multilayers, focusing crystals, capillaries and waveguides. In addition the optics test bench can be used for the phase contrast imaging and microscopy experiments.The optics test bench consists of the microfocus “Metal Jet” X-ray tube with liquid Ga anode, optics, diagnostics or sample and detector stages. The main activities within this setup are tests of compound refractive lenses made from Al, Be and diamond materials in terms of efficiency and focusing. The most recent optics test bench project is an X-ray microscopy based on 161 epoxy spherical concave individual lenses with the radius of curvature of 50 µm. We hope that the test bench will produce more extraordinary results in the field of x-ray micro-/nano-optics, microscopy and imaging techniques that can directly contribute to the high quality of research.