Progress toward a Soft X-ray Polarimeter

We are developing instrumentation for a telescope design capable of measuring linear X-ray polarization over a broad-band using conventional spectroscopic optics. Multilayer-coated mirrors are key to this approach, being used as Bragg reflectors at the Brewster angle. By laterally grading the multilayer mirrors and matching to the dispersion of a spectrometer, one may take advantage of high multilayer reflectivities and achieve modulation factors over 50% over the entire 0.2-0.8 keV band. We present progress on laboratory work to demonstrate the capabilities of an existing laterally graded multilayer coated mirror pair. We also present plans for a suborbital rocket experiment designed to detect a polarization level of 12-17% for an active galactic nucleus in the 0.1-1.0 keV band.Comment: 11 pages, 12 figures, to appear in the proceedings of the SPIE, volume 8861, on Optics for EUV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Astronom

Optical constants of magnetron-sputtered magnesium films in the 25-1300 eV energy range

The transmittance of dc magnetron-sputtered Mg thin films was measured in the 25-1300 eV spectral range. Freestanding Mg films protected with Al layers were characterized ex situ. Transmittance measurements were used to obtain the extinction coefficient k of Mg films. The obtained k values along with the data available in the literature, and with interpolations and extrapolations for the rest of the spectrum, were used to obtain the real part of the index of refraction n by the Kramers-Krönig analysis. Sum-rule tests indicated a good consistency of the data. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.Peer Reviewe

Metrologies for the Phase Characterization of Attosecond

EUV optics play a key role in attosecond science since only with higher photon energies is it possible to achieve the wide spectral bandwidth required for ultrashort pulses. Multilayer EUV mirrors have been proposed and are being developed to temporally shape (compress) attosecond pulses. To fully characterize a multilayer optic for pulse applications requires not only knowledge of the reflectivity, as a function of photon energy, but also the reflected phase of the mirror. This work develops the metrologies to determine the reflected phase of an EUV multilayer mirror using the photoelectric effect. The proposed method allows one to determine the optic's impulse response and hence its pulse characteristics

Serological Survey and Pathogen Exposure of Adult Female White-tailed Deer in the Western Dakotas

Establishing baseline values for pathogen exposure and nutritional indices is necessary to monitor population health. However, little is known about white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) pathogen exposure and nutritional condition in the Northern Great Plains. Our objective was to assess pathogen exposure and establish nutritional indices for female white-tailed deer in Dunn and Grant counties, North Dakota and Perkins County, South Dakota. During 2014, we collected blood serum from 150 adult female white-tailed deer. Pathogens with the highest antibody prevalence included West Nile Virus (WNV; 85%), epizootic hemorrhagic disease (48%), and malignant catarrhal fever (32%). Serum values for creatine kinase, globulin, glucose, potassium, and lactate dehydrogenase in all three study areas were higher than reference ranges while sodium was low in Grant County relative to Dunn and Perkins counties. We speculate that high exposure of WNV and high potassium values combined with low sodium values may affect neonate survival in Grant County. However, regional differences in pathogen exposure, their connection to serum values, and their potential interactive effects on survival are not well understood

Serological Survey and Pathogen Exposure of Adult Female White-tailed Deer in the Western Dakotas

Establishing baseline values for pathogen exposure and nutritional indices is necessary to monitor population health. However, little is known about white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) pathogen exposure and nutritional condition in the Northern Great Plains. Our objective was to assess pathogen exposure and establish nutritional indices for female white-tailed deer in Dunn and Grant counties, North Dakota and Perkins County, South Dakota. During 2014, we collected blood serum from 150 adult female white-tailed deer. Pathogens with the highest antibody prevalence included West Nile Virus (WNV; 85%), epizootic hemorrhagic disease (48%), and malignant catarrhal fever (32%). Serum values for creatine kinase, globulin, glucose, potassium, and lactate dehydrogenase in all three study areas were higher than reference ranges while sodium was low in Grant County relative to Dunn and Perkins counties. We speculate that high exposure of WNV and high potassium values combined with low sodium values may affect neonate survival in Grant County. However, regional differences in pathogen exposure, their connection to serum values, and their potential interactive effects on survival are not well understood

In-situ X-ray-absorption Spectroscopy Study of Hydrogen Absorption by Nickel-Magnesium Thin Films

Structural and electronic properties of co-sputtered Ni-Mg thin films with varying Ni to Mg ratio were studied by in-situ x-ray absorption spectroscopy in the Ni L-edge and Mg K-edge regions. Co-deposition of the metals led to increased disorder and decreased coordination around Ni and Mg compared to pure metal films. Exposure of the metallic films to hydrogen resulted in formation of hydrides and increased disorder. The presence of hydrogen as a near neighbor around Mg caused a drastic reduction in the intensities of multiple scattering resonances at higher energies. The optical switching behavior and changes in the x-ray spectra varied with Ni to Mg atomic ratio. Pure Mg films with Pd overlayers were converted to MgH2: the H atoms occupy regular sites as in bulk MgH2. Although optical switching was slow in the absence of Ni, the amount of H2 absorption was large. Incorporation of Ni in Mg films led to an increase in the speed of optical switching but decreased maximum transparency. Significant shifts in the Ni L3 and L2 peaks are consistent with strong interaction with hydrogen in the mixed films

Holographic optical elements for the extreme-ultravioletregime

As the development of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography progresses, interest grows in the extension of traditional optical components to the EUV regime. The strong absorption of EUV by most materials and its extremely short wavelength, however, makes it very difficult to implement many components that are commonplace in the longer wavelength regimes. One such component is the diffractive optical element used, for example, in illumination systems to efficiently generate modified pupil fills. Here we demonstrate the fabrication and characterization of EUV binary phase-only computer-generated holograms allowing arbitrary far-field diffraction patterns to be generated

Multilayer Phase-Only Diffraction Gratings: Fabrication andApplication to EUV Optics

The use of phase-only diffractive devices has long played an important role in advanced optical systems in varying fields. Such devices include gratings, diffractive and holographic optical elements, diffractive lenses, and phase-shift masks for advanced lithography. Extending such devices to the increasingly important regime of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) wavelengths, however, is not trivial. Here, we present an effective fabrication and etch process enabling high-resolution patterning of Mo/Si multilayers for use in EUV phase devices, providing another method for fabrication of high numerical aperture diffractive devices or high-resolution EUV phase shift masks