Rapid and cost-effective manufacturing of polymer-based refractive X-ray optics

To maximize the utility of the emerging diffraction-limited synchrotron radiation sources, we aim to develop and commercialize a rapid and cost-effective method to fabricate and implement refractive X-ray optics for diffraction-limited applications. DOE Basic Energy Science Advisory Committee identifies synchrotron radiation sources as one of the five critical areas for basic energy science. They represent an enormous investment but also highly demanded advanced research facilities that play critical roles in the advance of both basic and applied science through their unique ability to analyze the structure and properties of materials. Our ability to utilize these ultrabright and coherent X-ray sources is limited by our ability to focus, monochromate, and manipulate X-rays with appropriate optics. In other words, diffraction-limited X-ray optics are necessary to make the most of these diffraction-limited radiation sources. However, on the battlefield for these research capabilities, US has been challenged in terms of the total number X-ray beamlines and the X-ray optics developments. US-based companies have barely any share in the market for high-precision and coherence-preserving X-ray optics. Argonne National Laboratory has invented a method of fabricating high-quality polymer-based refractive X-ray optics with the recently developed photon polymerization lithography technique. These refractive optics represent a very efficient and cost-effective domestic alternative, and they have already shown promise of outperforming commercial refractive optics for diffraction-limited applications. We expect a great potential for this technology to be adopted widely and become the basis of significant private sector investment. In this proposal, Argonne National Laboratory and Robot Nose Corporation (RN) will work together to commercialize this technology. We will center our effort on fast fabrication of high-resolution polymer compound refractive lenses for micro-focusing of hard-energy X-rays. Fast X-ray characterization methods will evaluate their performance for the optimization of the fabrication conditions. We also will commercialize our new concept of transfocator-on-chip, which enables the flexible usage of the optics for a broad experimental need at a competitive cost. Our polymer-based X-ray optics allows researchers to take the full advantage of the next-generation synchrotron radiation facilities for great scientific advances. Investment in commercializing our innovative X-ray optics will reinforce US’s competitiveness in large research capabilities in the coming decades.