Abstract
The bandpass of an X-ray telescope is defined by its reflecting surface, which most commonly is a thin film coating, either as a single-layer, bi-layer, or a multilayer coating. Mirror coatings are made to enhance the telescope performance, and by careful design, they can shape the energy response for very specific applications. In this chapter we review the topic of thin film coating essential for the performance of most astrophysical X-ray missions. We discuss the theory behind X-ray reflection and refraction utilized for thin film coatings and address the design challenges for single-layer, bi-layer, and multilayer coating, as well as the properties of the most typical coating materials. We summarize fabrication methods and discuss the measuring techniques in use for characterizing thin film coatings. Important aspects of stability are presented, and we provide a thorough review on the issue stress, which will play an essential role in next-generation high angular resolution imaging telescope.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Handbook of X-ray and Gamma-ray Astrophysics |
| Editors | C. Bambi, A. Santangelo |
| Place of Publication | Singapore |
| Publisher | Springer |
| Publication date | 2023 |
| Pages | 177–215 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 978-981-19-6959-1, 978-981-19-6960-7 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2023 |