Passive doubly curved structures for determining clamping forces applied to X-ray optic assemblies.

Area of Science:

• X-ray optics
• Cryogenics
• Mechanical engineering

Background:

• Clamping X-ray optics for cryogenic cooling can cause surface distortion, impacting beam quality.
• Understanding assembly effects on optic performance throughout their lifecycle is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate non-contact, in-process monitoring of clamping force for cryogenically cooled X-ray optics.
• To assess an additively manufactured passive structure for monitoring preload on the I20 monochromator at Diamond Light Source.

Main Methods:

• Numerical and experimental investigation of a doubly curved hyperbolic paraboloid passive structure.
• Characterization of the structure's performance pre- and post-cryogenic quenching.
• Laser displacement measurements to quantify preload effects.

Main Results:

• The passive structure demonstrated a total displacement of approximately 9 µm per 100 N of bolt preload.
• An effective magnification of the preload adjustment of approximately 2.5× was observed.
• The structure's performance was characterized both before and after cryogenic quenching.

Conclusions:

• The developed passive structure offers a viable solution for non-contact, in-process monitoring of clamping forces in cryogenic X-ray optics.
• This monitoring capability can help mitigate distortions and improve beam stability.
• The study provides valuable insights into the assembly and performance of X-ray optics under cryogenic conditions.