Published October 24, 2022 | Version v1

BEaTriX, an expanded and parallel X-ray beam to measure the modular X-ray optic of the ATHENA telescope

Description

BEaTriX is a unique facility developed at the INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico Brera (Merate, Italy)

to test ATHENA’s X-ray mirror.

It can perform the X-ray acceptance tests (PSF and Aeff) of the ATHENA Silicon Pore Optics Mirror

Modules (MM) at their production rate (2 MM/day), at 4.51 and 1.49 keV. The X-ray beam

approximates the one created by an astronomical source (collimated and large), re-created in a small

lab (about 9 m x 18 m) thanks to an innovative design. A microfocus X-ray source produces a

divergent beam which is conditioned (collimated, monochromatic, and expanded) by a parabolic

mirror and a set of silicon crystals, one of which is asymmetrically cut with respect to the lattice

planes. The first beam line, at the energy of 4.51 keV, has already been developed. The large

monochromatic beam is collimated to < 3 arcsec, with a flux of 60 photons/s/cm2. Its size (170 mm x

60 mm) is sufficiently large to cover the entrance pupil of the MMs. The PSF and Aeff of the first

optically representative MM were successfully measured.

Notes

Grants: ESA contract # 4000123152/18/NL/BW, AHEAD grant #654215 and #871158, ASI accordo attuativo # 2019-27-HH.0, Internal INAF funds

Files

2022-ATHENA scientific conf-Salmaso-poster.pdf

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Additional details

Funding

European Commission
AHEAD - Integrated Activities for the High Energy Astrophysics Domain 654215
European Commission
AHEAD2020 - Integrated Activities for the High Energy Astrophysics Domain 871158