Design and implementation of electron diverters for lobster eye space-based X-ray optics

Area of Science:

• Astrophysics and Space Instrumentation
• Plasma Physics and Magnetic Fields

Background:

• Micropore optics in lobster eye geometry offer compact X-ray telescope solutions.
• Energetic electrons pose a challenge to focal plane detector performance in X-ray telescopes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and implement electron diverters for two upcoming X-ray telescope missions.
• To ensure electron diverters meet strict magnetic dipole moment limits and manufacturing tolerances.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of different diverter designs in reducing electron flux.

Main Methods:

• Relativistic calculations of electron trajectories were used to model electron behavior.
• Magnetic fields generated by rare-earth magnets were employed for electron diversion.
• Differential electron flux and integrated electron background were calculated for each design.

Main Results:

• The study presents and evaluates two distinct electron diverter designs for specific space missions.
• Calculations determined the fraction of electrons reaching the detector for each design.
• The integrated electron background was quantified for both diverter configurations.

Conclusions:

• The implemented electron diverters effectively reduce energetic electron flux in compact X-ray telescopes.
• The designs are tailored to mission-specific requirements, balancing performance with magnetic constraints.
• These diverters are crucial for enhancing data quality in future space-based X-ray astronomy missions.