Cost-effective plane-grating monochromator design for extreme-ultraviolet application.

Area of Science:

• Optics
• Spectroscopy
• X-ray Physics

Background:

• High resolution is crucial for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and soft X-ray spectroscopy.
• Existing monochromator designs may face limitations in achieving desired resolution and focusing capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel optical design for a plane-grating monochromator.
• To achieve high resolution in the extreme ultraviolet and soft X-ray spectral regions.
• To enable applications in high-order laser harmonics.

Main Methods:

• Utilizes a three-optical-element configuration.
• Employs a uniform line-spaced plane grating illuminated by converging light from a concave mirror.
• Incorporates an additional plane mirror to maintain focus by adjusting the grating subtended angle.
• Optimizes the focusing mirror parameters to compensate for grating-induced coma.

Main Results:

• The design achieves high resolution for extreme ultraviolet and soft X-ray light.
• A specific monochromator design for the 12-50 eV range is detailed.
• The optical system is suitable for applications involving high-order laser harmonics.

Conclusions:

• The proposed plane-grating monochromator design offers a viable solution for high-resolution spectroscopy in the EUV and soft X-ray ranges.
• The coma compensation strategy is key to maintaining focus and performance.
• This design facilitates advanced research in laser-driven high-energy photon sources.