Journal article
X-Ray Performance of Critical-angle Transmission Grating Prototypes for the Arcus Mission
The Astrophysical journal, Vol.934(2), p.171
08/01/2022
DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/ac7a3a
Abstract
Arcus is a proposed Explorer Class soft X-ray grating spectrometer. It aims to explore cosmic feedback by mapping hot gases within and between galaxies and galaxy clusters and characterizing jets and winds from supermassive black holes and to investigate the dynamics of protoplanetary disks and stellar accretion. Arcus features 12 m focal-length grazing-incidence silicon pore optics (SPO) developed for the Athena mission. Critical-angle transmission (CAT) gratings efficiently disperse high diffraction orders onto CCDs. We report new and improved X-ray performance results for Arcus-like CAT gratings, including a record resolving power for two coaligned CAT gratings. Multiple Arcus prototype grating facets were illuminated by an SPO at the PANTER facility. The facets consist of 32 x 32.5 mm(2) patterned silicon membranes, bonded to metal frames. The bonding angle is adjusted according to the measured average tilt angle of the grating bars in the membrane. Two simultaneously illuminated facets show a minor broadening of the Al-K (alpha) doublet in the 18th and 21st orders with the best-fit record effective resolving power of RG approximate to 1.3(-0.5)(+infinity)x10(4) (3 sigma), about three to four times the Arcus requirement. We measured the diffraction efficiency of quasi-fully illuminated gratings at O-K wavelengths in orders 4-7 in an Arcus-like configuration and compare results with synchrotron spot measurements. After corrections for geometrical effects and bremsstrahlung continuum, we find agreement between full and spot illumination at the two different facilities, as well as with the models used for Arcus effective area predictions. We find that these flight-like gratings meet the diffraction efficiency and greatly exceed the resolving power Arcus requires.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- X-Ray Performance of Critical-angle Transmission Grating Prototypes for the Arcus Mission
- Creators
- Ralf K. Heilmann - Space Nanotechnology Laboratory, MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USAAlexander R. BruccoleriVadim Burwitz - Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial PhysicsCasey DeRoo - University of IowaAlan Garner - Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and CosmologyHans Moritz Gunther - Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and CosmologyEric M. Gullikson - Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryGisela Hartner - Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial PhysicsEdward Hertz - Smithsonian Astrophysical ObservatoryAndreas Langmeier - Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial PhysicsThomas Mueller - Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial PhysicsSurangkhana Rukdee - Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial PhysicsThomas Schmidt - Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial PhysicsRandall K. Smith - Smithsonian Astrophysical ObservatoryMark L. Schattenburg - Space Nanotechnology Laboratory, MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- The Astrophysical journal, Vol.934(2), p.171
- DOI
- 10.3847/1538-4357/ac7a3a
- ISSN
- 0004-637X
- eISSN
- 1538-4357
- Publisher
- IOP Publishing Ltd
- Number of pages
- 15
- Grant note
- DE-AC02-05CH11231 / US DOE Office of Science User Facility; United States Department of Energy (DOE) MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research 871158 / European Unions Horizon 2020 Programme under the AHEAD2020 project 80NSSC19K0335; 80NSSC250K0780 / NASA; National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) DMR 1419807 / MRSEC Program of the National Science Foundation; National Science Foundation (NSF); NSF - Directorate for Mathematical & Physical Sciences (MPS)
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 08/01/2022
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy; University College Courses
- Record Identifier
- 9984428792102771
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