A Micromachined X-Ray Collector for Space Astronomy

A novel micromachined X-ray collector using anisotropically etched Si (111) planes as X-ray mirrors for future astronomical missions is reported. Mirrors, fabricated using dynashock-type ultrasonic waves, have very smooth surfaces with an rms roughness of nm or less. After the etching, mirror chips were cut from the wafer with a dicing machine and adhered to a mount formed by deep reactive ion etching, in order to collect parallel X-ray beam (0100 mm) on a tiny focus (phi 4 mm). The first light image was successfully obtained at Al K alpha 1.49 keV in a ISAS 30 m-long beam line.