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Polycapillary X-Ray Optics

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Illustration of a collimating optic

Collimating optic

Illustration of a focusing optic

Focusing optic

Illustration of a half-focusing optic

Half-focusing optic


X-rays can transmit through small capillary channels by multiple external total reflections. A polycapillary optic typically consists of sub-million to a few millions of small channels which are precisely shaped to allow efficient transmission of the X-rays.

For example, the use of polycapillary optics has dramatically increased the analytical speed of micro-XRF analysis, supplying accurate and reliable measurement results thousands of times faster than conventional approaches. Other important applications of polycapillary optics include confocal XRF, X-ray diffraction, and wavelength dispersive X-ray spectroscopy.

XOS is the world leader in the design and manufacturing of such optics. To achieve the maximum X-ray performance at any given X-ray energy, the curving profile of the polycapillary optic needs to be optimally designed and precisely manufactured. The computer-controlled manufacturing process makes it possible to achieve excellent performance consistency, which is critical for OEM applications. Learn More

XRF X-ray distribution
A polycapillary optic works by transmitting x-rays through small capillary channels by multiple total reflections. Smaller channels in XOS optics provide higher transmission

 

Polycapillary Optics at a Glance

 

  • Small channel size is the key for efficient transmission of X-rays through curved capillaries
  • The transmission efficiency of the optic varies with X-ray energy
  • The optic's transmission efficiency strongly depends on the X-ray source size
graph-polycapillary-optics-450x.png
Transmission efficiency of polycapillary optics as a function of energy for different X-ray source sizes

 

Talk to an Expert

 

Polycapillary optics on marble table

Product Highlight

XOS Polycapillary Optics capture large, solid angles of X-rays and redirect them to a micron-sized focal spot or a highly collimated beam.


XOS polycapillary optics

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Features and Benefits

  • X-ray flux density gain up to 10,000 times greater than conventional pinhole collimator
  • Focal spot as small as 5µm
  • Broad spectral bandwidth: 10eV-50keV
  • Significantly improved measurement speed for fine-feature analysis and high-resolution mapping
  • Halo reduction optics optimized for high-energy applications
  • Large, quasi-parallel X-ray beam for XRD and XRF
  • Customized optic design for optimal performance

Applications

  • Micro X-ray Fluorescence (μXRF)
  • X-ray Diffraction (XRD)
  • Confocal X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF)
  • Parallel-beam Wavelength
  • Dispersive Spectrometer (WDS)
  • Synchrotron