US4870648A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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X-ray beamsplitter
Assignee: United States Department of Energy
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Filing: 1987-08-07
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Granted: 1989-09-26
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Expires: 2007-08-07
Abstract
Abstract An x-ray beamsplitter which splits an x-ray beam into two coherent parts by reflecting and transmitting some fraction of an incident beam has applications for x-ray interferometry, x-ray holography, x-ray beam manipulation, and x-ray laser cavity output couplers. The beamsplitter is formed of a wavelength selective multilayer thin film supported by a very thin x-ray transparent membrane. The beamsplitter resonantly transmits and reflects x-rays through thin film interference effects. A thin film is formed of 5-50 pairs of alternate Mo/Si layers with a period of 20-250 A. The support membrane is 10-200 nm of silicon nitride or boron nitride. The multilayer/support membrane structure is formed across a window in a substrate by first forming the structure on a solid substrate and then forming a window in the substrate to leave a free-standing structure over the window.
Inventors
- 👤 Natale M. Ceglio
- 👤 Daniel S. Stearns
- 👤 Andrew M. Hawryluk
- 👤 Troy W. Barbee, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 17:25
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21K; G21K1/00; G21K1/06; G21K1/062; B; B82; B82Y; B82Y10/00; H; H01; H01S; H01S4/00; H01S5/00; H01S5/02; H01S5/028; G21K2201/00; G21K2201/06; G21K2201/061; G21K2201/067
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
99 words
An X-ray beamsplitter comprising: a substrate having a window therethrough; a very thin substantially flat X-ray transparent support membrane deposited on the substrate and extending across the window therein; a thin multilayer film deposited on the membrane and over the window in the substrate which resonantly reflects, and transmits X-rays of wavelength λ incident at an angle of θ and has a periodicity d given by λ=2 μd sin θ where θ is the angle of incidence measured from the surface of the beamsplitter and μ is a predetermined factor which accounts for refractive effects in the multilayer film.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
99 words
An X-ray beamsplitter comprising: a substrate having a window therethrough; a very thin substantially flat X-ray transparent support membrane deposited on the substrate and extending across the window therein; a thin multilayer film deposited on the membrane and over the window in the substrate which resonantly reflects, and transmits X-rays of wavelength λ incident at an angle of θ and has a periodicity d given by λ=2 μd sin θ where θ is the angle of incidence measured from the surface of the beamsplitter and μ is a predetermined factor which accounts for refractive effects in the multilayer film.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The beamsplitter of claim 1 wherein the thickness of the support membrane is substantially less than the thickness of the multilayer film.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The beamsplitter of claim 1 wherein the support membrane is formed of silicon nitride, boron nitride, or silicon.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The beamsplitter of claim 1 wherein the support membrane has a thickness of about 10 nm to 200 nm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The beamsplitter of claim 1 wherein the substrate is a silicon wafer or glass.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The beamsplitter of claim 1 for X-ray wavelengths in the range of about 1 nm to about 50 nm wherein the multilayer film comprises about 5 to 50 layer pairs of molybdenum and silicon multilayers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The beamsplitter of claim 6 wherein the periodicity of the multilayers is about 20 A to about 250 A.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The beamsplitter of claim 3 wherein the support membrane has a thickness of about 10 nm to 200 nm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The beamsplitter of claim 1 wherein the window in the substrate has an area between about 5 to 35 mm 2 .
Claim 11
Independent Claim
119 words
A method for fabricating an X-ray beamsplitter comprising: preparing a substrate having front and back sides; depositing an etch stop layer formed of a thin layer of X-ray transparent material on the front and back sides of the substrate; depositing a thin multiplayer film of periodic alternating layers on the layer of X-ray transparent material on the front side of the substrate which resonantly reflects, and transmits X-rays of wavelength λ incident at an angle θ; patterning the layer of X-ray transparent material on the back side of the substrate and removing the layer from a small area to expose the substrate; etching the exposed substrate from the back side to the etch stop layer on the front side.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
119 words
A method for fabricating an X-ray beamsplitter comprising: preparing a substrate having front and back sides; depositing an etch stop layer formed of a thin layer of X-ray transparent material on the front and back sides of the substrate; depositing a thin multiplayer film of periodic alternating layers on the layer of X-ray transparent material on the front side of the substrate which resonantly reflects, and transmits X-rays of wavelength λ incident at an angle θ; patterning the layer of X-ray transparent material on the back side of the substrate and removing the layer from a small area to expose the substrate; etching the exposed substrate from the back side to the etch stop layer on the front side.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 10 further comprising forming the etch stop layer of silicon nitride or boron nitride.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 11 further comprising forming the etch stop layer of a thickness of about 10-200 nm.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of claim 10 further comprising forming a thin multilayer film which resonantIy reflects, and transmits X-rays of wavelength λ incident at an angle θ and has a periodicity d given by λ=2 μd sin θ where θ is the angle of incidence measured from the surface of the beamsplitter and μ is a predetermined factor which accounts for refractive effects in the multilayer film.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 13 for X-ray wavelengths in the range of about 1 nm to 50 nm further comprising forming the multilayer film of about 5 to 50 layer pairs of molybdenum and silicon.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 14 further comprising forming the layer pairs with a periodicity of about 20 A to 250 A.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
91 words
A method for fabricating an X-ray beamsplitter comprising: depositing a thin layer of X-ray transparent material on a front surface of a substrate; depositing a thin multiplayer film of periodic alternating layers on the layer of X-ray transparent material which resonantly reflects, and transmits X-rays of wavelength λ incident at an angle θ; etching the substrate from a back surface to the layer of X-ray transparent material on the front surface to form a window through the substrate over which the layer of X-ray transparent material and thin multilayer film extent.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
91 words
A method for fabricating an X-ray beamsplitter comprising: depositing a thin layer of X-ray transparent material on a front surface of a substrate; depositing a thin multiplayer film of periodic alternating layers on the layer of X-ray transparent material which resonantly reflects, and transmits X-rays of wavelength λ incident at an angle θ; etching the substrate from a back surface to the layer of X-ray transparent material on the front surface to form a window through the substrate over which the layer of X-ray transparent material and thin multilayer film extent.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 16 further comprising forming the layer of X-ray transparent material from silicon nitride or boron nitride.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 17 further comprising forming the layer of a thickness of about 10-200 nm.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of claim 16 further comprising forming a thin multilayer film which resonantly reflects, and transmits X-rays of wavelength λ incident at an angle θ and has a periodicity d given by λ=2 μd sin θ where θ is the angle of incidence measured from the surface of the beamsplitter and μ is a predetermined factor which accounts for refractive effects in the multilayer film.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
78 words
A method for fabricating an X-ray beamsplitter, comprising: forming thin substantially flat X-ray transparent supporting membrane; forming a thin multilayer film on the membrane which resonantly reflects, and transmits X-rays of wavelength λ incident at an angle θ and has a periodicity d given by λ=2 μd sin θ where θ is the angle of incidence measured from the surface of the beamsplitter and μ is a predetermined factor which accounts for refractive effects in the multilayer film.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
78 words
A method for fabricating an X-ray beamsplitter, comprising: forming thin substantially flat X-ray transparent supporting membrane; forming a thin multilayer film on the membrane which resonantly reflects, and transmits X-rays of wavelength λ incident at an angle θ and has a periodicity d given by λ=2 μd sin θ where θ is the angle of incidence measured from the surface of the beamsplitter and μ is a predetermined factor which accounts for refractive effects in the multilayer film.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
148 words
A resonant cavity for supporting X-ray laser action, comprising: a multilayer thin film rear cavity X-ray mirror; an X-ray beamsplitter spaced from and aligned with the rear cavity mirror along a cavity axis, the beamsplitter comprising: a substrate having a window therethrough; a very thin substantially flat X-ray transparent support membrane deposited on the substrate and extending across the window therein; a thin multilayer film deposited on the membrane and over the window in the substrate which resonantly reflects and transmits X-rays of wavelength λ incident at an angel θ and has a periodicity d given by λ=2 μd sin θ where θ is the angle of incidence measured from the surface of the beamsplitter and λ is a predetermined factor which accounts for refractive effects in the multilayer film; and a gain media positioned between the rear cavity X-ray mirror and the X-ray beamsplitter along said axis.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
148 words
A resonant cavity for supporting X-ray laser action, comprising: a multilayer thin film rear cavity X-ray mirror; an X-ray beamsplitter spaced from and aligned with the rear cavity mirror along a cavity axis, the beamsplitter comprising: a substrate having a window therethrough; a very thin substantially flat X-ray transparent support membrane deposited on the substrate and extending across the window therein; a thin multilayer film deposited on the membrane and over the window in the substrate which resonantly reflects and transmits X-rays of wavelength λ incident at an angel θ and has a periodicity d given by λ=2 μd sin θ where θ is the angle of incidence measured from the surface of the beamsplitter and λ is a predetermined factor which accounts for refractive effects in the multilayer film; and a gain media positioned between the rear cavity X-ray mirror and the X-ray beamsplitter along said axis.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
30 words
The resonant cavity of claim 21 wherein the gain media comprises means for generating a plasma in the cavity which emits and amplifies X-rays of said wavelength along said axis.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
16 words
The resonant cavity of claim 22 wherein the plasma generating means is an exploding foil amplifier.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
28 words
The resonant cavity of claim 21 wherein the support membrane is formed of silicon nitride or boron nitride having a thickness of about 300 A to 500 A.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
50 words
The resonant cavity of claim 22 for X-ray wavelengths in the range of about 1 nm to about 50 nm wherein the multilayer film comprises about 5 to 50 layer pairs of molybdenum and silicon multilayers having a periodicity of the multilayers of about 20 A to about 250 A.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-09-25 | 1993-03-27 | 1993-09-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-09-25 | 1997-03-27 | 1997-09-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-09-25 | 2001-03-27 | 2001-09-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |