A very compact polarizer for an x-ray polarimeter calibration

Fabio Muleri; Paolo Soffitta; Ronaldo Bellazzini; Alessandro Brez; Enrico Costa; Sergio Fabiani; Massimo Frutti; Massimo Minuti; Maria Barbara Negri; Piermarco Pascale; Alda Rubini; Giuseppe Sindoni; Gloria Spandre

doi:10.1117/12.734647

13 September 2007 A very compact polarizer for an x-ray polarimeter calibration

Fabio Muleri, Paolo Soffitta, Ronaldo Bellazzini, Alessandro Brez, Enrico Costa, Sergio Fabiani, Massimo Frutti, Massimo Minuti, Maria Barbara Negri, Piermarco Pascale, Alda Rubini, Giuseppe Sindoni, Gloria Spandre

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 6686, UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XV; 668610 (2007) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.734647
Event: Optical Engineering + Applications, 2007, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

We devised and built a light, compact and transportable X-ray polarized source based on the Bragg diffraction at nearly 45 degrees. The source is composed by a crystal coupled to a small power X-ray tube. The angles of incidence are selected by means of two orthogonal capillary plates which, due to the small diameter holes (10 μm) allow good collimation with limited sizes. All the orders of diffraction defined by the crystal lattice spacing are polarized up to the maximum order limited by the X-ray tube voltage. Selecting suitably the crystal and the X-ray tube, either the line or the continuum emission can be diffracted, producing polarized photons at different energies. A very high degree of polarization and reasonable fluxes can be reached with a suitable choice of the capillary plates collimation. We present the source and test its performances with the production of nearly completely polarized radiation at 2.6, 5.2, 3.7 and 7.4 keV thanks to the employment of graphite and aluminum crystals, with copper and calcium X-ray tubes respectively. Triggered by the very compact design of the source, we also present a feasibility study for an on-board polarized source, coupled to a radioactive Fe⁵⁵ nuclide and a PVC thin film, for the calibration of the next generation space-borne X-ray polarimeters at 2.6 and 5.9 keV.

Citation Download Citation

Fabio Muleri, Paolo Soffitta, Ronaldo Bellazzini, Alessandro Brez, Enrico Costa, Sergio Fabiani, Massimo Frutti, Massimo Minuti, Maria Barbara Negri, Piermarco Pascale, Alda Rubini, Giuseppe Sindoni, and Gloria Spandre "A very compact polarizer for an x-ray polarimeter calibration", Proc. SPIE 6686, UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XV, 668610 (13 September 2007); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.734647

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available