Diffractive x-ray optics using production fabrication methods
Zone plates are the key focusing element for many x-ray (7–20 keV) and soft x-ray (200–500 eV) applications, yet, production with electron-beam lithography poses obstacles to their widespread availability. In addition, fabrication processes to date have limited the studies of amplitude Bragg– Fresnel-type elements in the hard x-ray regime. We report new processes that couple 100 keV electron-beam lithography with established production methods to achieve two goals: (1) improving the overall yield and volume of ultrahigh-resolution soft x-ray zone plates and (2) applying deep silicon etching techniques to extend the state of the art in high aspect ratio Bragg–Fresnel optics required to create high efficiency focusing of high-energy x rays.