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Reflection grating fabrication for the Rockets for Extended-source X-ray Spectroscopy
Drew M Miles1,2, Ross McCurdy2, Michael Labella3
1Physics, Math, and Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91125 USA.
Experimental Astronomy
|June 16, 2025
Summary
The Rockets for Extended-source X-ray Spectroscopy (tREXS) mission fabricated high-efficiency soft X-ray gratings using advanced nanofabrication. These gratings achieve over 70% efficiency, crucial for studying extended cosmic sources.
Area of Science:
- X-ray astronomy
- Astrophysical instrumentation
- Nanofabrication
Background:
- Soft X-ray spectroscopy is vital for studying extended astronomical sources.
- Existing technologies faced limitations in grating efficiency and scalability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To detail the nanofabrication of reflection gratings for the tREXS mission.
- To demonstrate the production of high-efficiency gratings for soft X-ray spectroscopy.
Main Methods:
- Electron-beam lithography (EBL) and KOH etching for master grating fabrication.
- Substrate-conformal imprint lithography (SCIL) for mass replication of gratings.
- Characterization of diffraction efficiency across the 0.18–0.8 keV band.
Main Results:
- Achieved peak absolute diffraction efficiency >70% near 0.22 keV.
- Demonstrated average absolute efficiency of ~50% across the 0.18–0.8 keV band.
- Successfully replicated 191 gratings for the tREXS flight instrument.
Conclusions:
- The developed nanofabrication and replication processes are suitable for producing high-performance X-ray gratings.
- The tREXS gratings meet the requirements for sensitive soft X-ray spectroscopy of extended sources.
- Future improvements can further enhance grating performance for astrophysical applications.
