Elias Breunig

Progress on indirect glass slumping for future x-ray telescope optics

Large X-ray telescopes for future observations need to combine a big collecting area with good angular resolution. Due to the mass limits of the launching rocket, light-weight materials are needed in order to enhance the collecting area in future telescopes. We study the development of mirror segments made from thin glass sheets which are shaped by thermal slumping. At MPE we follow the indirect approach which enables us the production of the parabolic and hyperbolic part of the Wolter type I mirrors in one piece. In our recent research we have used a test mould made of CeSiC™ for slumping processes in our lab furnace as well as in a heatable vacuum chamber, to avoid oxidation and air enclosure. Additional slumping tests in the vacuum furnace have been carried out using a Kovar mould and are compared with results under air. We describe the experimental set-up, the slumping process and the metrology methods and give an outlook on future activities.

Industrialization scenario for X-ray telescopes production based on glass slumping

Large X-ray segmented telescopes will be a key element for future missions aiming to solve still hidden mysteries of the hot and energetic Universe, such as the role of black holes in shaping their surroundings or how and why ordinary matter assembles into galaxies and clusters as it does. The major challenge of these systems is to guarantee a large effective area in combination with large field of view and good angular resolution, while maintaining the mass of the entire system within the geometrical and mass budget posed by space launchers. The slumping technology presents all the technical potentiality to be implemented for the realization of such demanding systems: it is based on the use of thin glass foils, shaped at high temperature in an oven over a suitable mould. Thousands of slumped segments are then aligned and assembled together into the optical payload. An exercise on the mass production approach has been conducted at Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE) to show that the slumping technology can be a valuable approach for the realization of future X-ray telescopes also from a point of view of industrialization. For the analysis, a possible design for the ATHENA mission telescope was taken as reference.

Light-weight glass mirror systems for future x-ray telescopes

Future X-ray telescopes need to combine large collecting area with good angular resolution. In order to achieve these aims within the mass limit, light-weight materials are needed for mirror production. We are developing a technology based on indirect hot slumping of thin glass segments; this method enables the production of the parabolic and hyperbolic part of the Wolter type I mirrors in one piece. Currently we use a combination of a porous ceramic for the slumping mould and the glass type D263 for the mirror material. In this study we use glasses that have been polished on one side to remove thickness variations in the glass, in order to investigate their influence on the results. We describe the experimental set-up, the slumping process and the metrology methods. Finally we present the results of an X-ray test of several integrated glass sheets, and give an outlook on future activities.

X-ray telescope mirrors made of slumped glass sheets

For several decades, the field of X-ray astronomy has been playing a major role in understanding the processes in our universe. From binary stars and black holes up to galaxy clusters and dark matter, high energetic events have been observed and analysed using powerful X-ray telescopes like e.g. Rosat, Chandra, and XMM-Newton [1,2,3], giving us detailed and unprecedented views of the high-energy universe. In November 2013, the theme of “The Hot and Energetic Universe” was rated as of highest importance for future exploration and in June 2014 the ATHENA Advanced Telescope for High Energy Astrophysics was selected by ESA for the second large science mission (L2) in the ESA Cosmic Vision program, with launch foreseen in 2028 [4]. By combining a large X-ray telescope with state-of-the-art scientific instruments, ATHENA will address key questions in astrophysics, including: How and why does ordinary matter assemble into the galaxies and galactic clusters that we see today? How do black holes grow and influence their surroundings? In order to answer these questions, ATHENA needs a powerful mirror system which exceed the capabilities of current missions, especially in terms of collecting area. However, current technologies have reached the mass limits of the launching rocket, creating the need for more light-weight mirror systems in order to enhance the effective area without increasing the telescope mass. Hence new mirror technologies are being developed which aim for low-weight systems with large collecting areas. Light material like glass can be used, which are shaped to form an X-ray reflecting system via the method of thermal glass slumping.

Indirect glass slumping for future x-ray missions: overview, status and progress

Future X-ray telescopes aim for large effective area within the given mass limits of the launcher. A promising method is the hot shaping of thin glass sheets via a thermal slumping process. This paper presents the status and progress of the indirect glass slumping technology developed at the Max-Planck-Institut for extraterrestrial Physics (MPE). Recent developments in our research include the use of the mould material Cesic under vacuum, as well as the fabrication of a high-precision slumping mould, which meets the requirements of large, high angular resolution missions like ATHENA. We describe the way forward to optimise the slumping process on these materials, the force-free integration concept and its progress, as well as the first test on reflective coating application.

Optical design for ATHENA X-ray telescope based on slumped mirror segments

The Hot and Energetic Universe will be the focus of future ESA missions: in late 2013 the theme was selected for the second large-class mission in the Cosmic Vision science program. Fundamental questions on how and why ordinary matter assemble into galaxies and clusters, and how black holes grow and influence their surroundings can be addressed with an advanced X-ray observatory. The currently proposed ATHENA mission presents all the potentiality to answer the outstanding questions. It is based on the heritage of XMM-Newton and on the previous studies for IXO mission. The scientific payload will require state of the art instrumentations. In particular, the baseline for the X-ray optical system, delivering a combination of large area, high angular resolution, and large field of view, is the Silicon Pore Optics technology (SPO) developed by ESA in conjunction with the Cosine Measurement Systems. The slumping technology is also under development for the manufacturing of future X-ray telescopes: for several years the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial physics (MPE) has been involved in the analysis of the indirect slumping approach, which foresees the manufacturing of segmented X-ray shells by shaping thin glass foils at high temperatures over concave moulds so to avoid any contact of the optical surface with other materials during the process, preserving in this way the original X-ray quality of the glass surface. The paper presents an alternative optical design for ATHENA based on the use of thin glass mirror segments obtained through slumping.

Shape control of modular x-ray optics during integration and alignment: concepts and recent experiments at MPE

Large modular optics made of thousands of mirror segments are a cornerstone of future x-ray mission concepts. In this project we focus on the integration and alignment of slumped glass wolter-1 segments into a mirror module. The two key issues of concern are the handling of a mirror segment during assembly, and the technology to permanently integrate the mirror segments with the supporting mirror module. Both steps can introduce significant shape error to the mirror. Our approach is based on the principle of minimizing distortions to the mirror by using a gravity compliand alignment setup and optimized interfaces. This paper is focused on basic requirements and recent integration experiments, of which analysis and results will be shown and future development discussed.

Light-weight glass optics for segmented X-ray mirrors

One of the most challenging tasks for future X-ray observatories is the enhancement of collecting area combined with very good angular resolution. Light-weight mirror materials, such as thin glass sheets, are needed to achieve this aims within the mass limits. We are developing a technology based on indirect hot slumping of thin glass segments. This technique enables us to produce the parabolic and hyperbolic part of the Wolter type I mirrors in one piece. Currently we focus on a combination of a ceramic slumping mould and glass type D263. The experimental set-up in our laboratories as well as the slumping process are described in detail; furthermore we report on the metrology methods used for measuring the glass sheets and moulds. Finally the results of the X-ray tests of several integrated glass sheets are presented.

Slumped glass optics with interfacing ribs for high angular resolution x-ray astronomy: a progress report

The Slumped Glass Optics technology, developed at INAF/OAB since a few years, is becoming a competitive solution for the realization of the future X-ray telescopes with a very large collecting area, as e.g. the proposed Athena, with more than 2 m2 effective area at 1 keV and with a high angular resolution (5’’ HEW). The developed technique is based on modular elements, named X-ray Optical Units (XOUs), made of several layers of thin foils of glass, previously formed by direct hot slumping in cylindrical configuration, and then stacked in a Wolter-I configuration, through interfacing ribs. The achievable global angular resolution of the optics relies on the surface shape accuracy of the slumped foils, on the smoothness of the mirror surfaces and on the correct integration and co-alignment of the mirror segments achieved with a dedicated Integration Machine (IMA). In this paper we provide an update of the project development, reporting on the last results achieved. In particular, we will present the results obtained with full illumination X-ray tests for the last developed prototypes.

Alignment and integration of slumped glass x-ray mirrors at MPE

This paper provides an update on the current activities for alignment and integration of slumped glass x-ray mirrors at MPE. Progress is being made w.r.t. the integration facility which is currently transitioned from a manual bench top setup to a full scale robotic system based on a high precision hexapod and collimated beam metrology. We present the most important design considerations and features of this new system as well as progress on other details of the integration concept.