Parabolic lithium refractive optics for x rays

Excellent x-ray optics for photons at around 10 keV can be expected with lithium metal. One of the best compound refractive lens designs [Lengeler et al., J. Appl. Phys. 84, 5855 (1998)] is now produced routinely in aluminum, and more recently has been demonstrated using beryllium [M. Kuhlmann et al. (unpublished)]. Here, we report a similar refractive lens made from lithium. At 10.87 keV, this lens has a ≃2 m focal length, more than 90% peak transmission, and an average transmission of 49%. The lens shows a very useful gain of up to 40. The full widths at half maximum (FWHM) of the focus are blurred by roughly 20 μm, resulting in a horizontal and vertical FWHM of 33 and 17 μm for an image distance of 2.13 m. The lens produces speckle on the x-ray beam, which is likely due to the inhomogeneities of the lens surface: Coherent x-ray scattering is useful in understanding imperfections in x-ray optics, such as mirrors and lenses. Better molding techniques should result in improved performance and enable microbeam techniques with this type of Li lens. © 2004 American Institute of Physics.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/70176/2/RSINAK-75-1-37-1.pd

A fixed angle double mirror filter for preparing a pink undulator beam at the Advanced Photon Source

Recent advances in X-ray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy (XPCS) use the full bandwidth of an undulator harmonic in order to maximize the coherent flux for small angle X-ray scattering experiments. X-ray mirrors and filters are typically used to select a given harmonic of the spectrum. At the University of Michigan/Howard University/Lucent Technologies, Bell Labs, Collaborative Access Team (MHATT-CAT) undulator beamline of the Advanced Photon Source, we have designed a fixed-angle Double Mirror Filter which will provide a “pink beam” (i.e., 2–3% bandwidth) for XPCS experiments. This device uses two small mirrors which vertically reflect a 0.1 mm×0.1 mm0.1mm×0.1mm white beam in a symmetric geometry. The doubly reflected beam propagates parallel to the incident white beam, but is offset vertically by 35 mm. Using the standard offset of the APS allows one to stop the white beam with a standard APS beam stop. In this report, we will describe our design considerations for this instrument. We also report the results of preliminary tests of the performance. The mirrors preserve the transverse coherence of the source, and filter the undulator spectrum as expected. © 2000 American Institute of Physics.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/87429/2/238_1.pd

An Imaging System for Focusing Tests of Li Multiprism X‐ray Refractive Lenses

For rapid and efficient tests of novel X‐rays optics, such as lithium‐based compound refractive lenses, we have built a fast X‐ray sensitive CCD imaging system. We report on the linearity, response and resolution of the microscope‐based imaging system. For the low magnifications used here (X2‐X10), we find that a thinly doped YAG screen has a poorer resolution than a thick YAG screen. We provide an example of its use in testing a new 2D focusing multiprism X‐ray lens. © 2004 American Institute of PhysicsPeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/87661/2/780_1.pd

Refractive optics using lithium metal

Thanks to its low x-ray absorption, lithium should be the material of choice for x-ray refractive lenses. This article discusses some of the measurements done to verify lithium’s relevant properties. Both x-ray transmission and refraction are consistent with expectations. The lens gain suffers from broadening that is related to small-angle scattering. © 2002 American Institute of Physics.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/69944/2/RSINAK-73-3-1492-1.pd

Lithium metal for x-ray refractive optics

Lithium metal is the best material for refractive lenses that must focus x-rays with energies below 15 keV, but to date no lens from Li has been reported. This letter demonstrates focusing of 10 keV x-rays with a one-dimensional sawtooth lens made from Li. The lens’ theoretical gain is 4.5, with manufacturing imperfections likely responsible for the threefold gain that is observed. Despite the Li reactivity the lens is stable over months of operation if kept under vacuum. © 2001 American Institute of Physics.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/69644/2/APPLAB-79-25-4085-1.pd

Picosecond time-resolved x-ray diffraction probe of coherent lattice dynamics (abstract) (invited)

The short pulses of hard x rays from synchrotron and laser based sources are sensitive probes of lattice dynamics on an ultrafast time scale. Using pump–probe time-resolved x-ray diffraction, we are able to follow the propagation of a picosecond coherent acoustic pulse in an ultrafast laser-strained single crystal. Comparison of the data with dynamical diffraction simulations allows for the quantitative determination of both the surface and bulk components of the associated strain. This technique is scalable to femtosecond and shorter time scales as x-ray pulses become shorter in duration, such as in fourth generation light sources. In addition, the diffraction of x rays off of coherent optical phonons may lead to the production of a femtosecond x-ray switch. © 2002 American Institute of Physics.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/69893/2/RSINAK-73-3-1361-1.pd

Experience with a fluorescence‐based beam position monitor at the APS

We have recently redesigned the first crystal mount of our cryogenically cooled monochromator to reduce its sensitivity to pressure fluctuations in the cryogenic lines feeding the Si (111) crystal. With the use of a fluorescence‐based X‐ray beam position monitor (BPM) placed 19 m away from the monochromator, much operational experience has been gained on the sensitivity of the beam position and intensity to small changes in the cooling system. In this presentation, we will describe our X‐ray BPM design and performance and will provide examples of changes that have made the beam position more stable on our beamline. One such change for example has been the top‐up operation of the Advanced Photon Source (APS), which has reduced the thermal drifts associated with the ring current decay. © 2004 American Institute of PhysicsPeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/87659/2/679_1.pd

Poleward expansion of the white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) under climate change: implications for the spread of lyme disease

The white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) is an important reservoir host for Borrelia burgdorferi, the pathogen responsible for Lyme disease, and its distribution is expanding northward. We used an Ecological Niche Factor Analysis to identify the climatic factors associated with the distribution shift of the white-footed mouse over the last 30 years at the northern edge of its range, and modeled its current and potential future (2050) distributions using the platform BIOMOD. A mild and shorter winter is favouring the northern expansion of the white-footed mouse in Québec. With more favorable winter conditions projected by 2050, the distribution range of the white-footed mouse is expected to expand further northward by 3° latitude. We also show that today in southern Québec, the occurrence of B. burgdorferi is associated with high probability of presence of the white-footed mouse. Changes in the distribution of the white-footed mouse will likely alter the geographical range of B. burgdorferi and impact the public health in northern regions that have yet to be exposed to Lyme disease.Emilie Roy-Dufresne, Travis Logan, Julie A. Simon, Gail L. Chmura, Virginie Millie

Design and performance of a stable first crystal mount for a cryogenically cooled Si monochromator at the Advanced Photon Source

We present a new design for mounting a cryogenically cooled Si crystal which gives greatly improved beam stability. The design has been successfully implemented at the University of Michigan, Howard University, Bell Laboratories-Lucent Technologies Collaborative Access Team (MHATT-CAT) 7ID Beamline of the Advanced Photon Source. Before the installation of the new crystal mount, our Si (lll) cryogenically cooled monochromator was sensitive to the pressure fluctuations of the liquid nitrogen coolant, such that the angle of incidence on the first crystal varied linearly with the applied pressure in the cooling lines, causing beam motion of about 250 μm, 60 m250μm,60m from the source. The key element of the design is a symmetrically positioned cooling manifold which balances the forces caused by pressure fluctuations. With this new mount, the typical beam stability is now about 10 μm, comparable to the source stability. © 2002 American Institute of Physics.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/69891/2/RSINAK-73-3-1511-1.pd

Coherent control of pulsed X-ray beams

Synchrotrons produce continuous trains of closely spaced X-ray pulses. Application of such sources to the study of atomic-scale motion requires efficient modulation of these beams on timescales ranging from nanoseconds to femtoseconds. However, ultrafast X-ray modulators are not generally available. Here we report efficient subnanosecond coherent switching of synchrotron beams by using acoustic pulses in a crystal to modulate the anomalous low-loss transmission of X-ray pulses. The acoustic excitation transfers energy between two X-ray beams in a time shorter than the synchrotron pulse width of about 100 ps. Gigahertz modulation of the diffracted X-rays is also observed. We report different geometric arrangements, such as a switch based on the collision of two counter-propagating acoustic pulses: this doubles the X-ray modulation frequency, and also provides a means of observing a localized transient strain inside an opaque material. We expect that these techniques could be scaled to produce subpicosecond pulses, through laser-generated coherent optical phonon modulation of X-ray diffraction in crystals. Such ultrafast capabilities have been demonstrated thus far only in laser-generated X-ray sources, or through the use of X-ray streak cameras(1-6).Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/62852/1/413825a0.pd