Merging Technologies: Light-weight, High-throughput Full-Shell Optics for X-ray Imaging

Suzanne Romaine; Jaesub Hong; Ricardo Bruni; Martin Elvis; Stephan D. Bongiorno; Nicholas Thomas; David Smith; David Banks; Amy Meekham; Srikanth Panini Singam; Chet O. Speegle; Christopher Jensen; Joseph Cerafice; Sanjay Sampath

doi:10.1117/12.3064584

Merging Technologies: Light-weight, High-throughput Full-Shell Optics for X-ray Imaging

Suzanne Romaine
, Jaesub Hong
, Ricardo Bruni
, Martin Elvis
, Stephan D. Bongiorno
, Nicholas Thomas
, David Smith
, David Banks
, Amy Meekham
, Srikanth Panini Singam
, Chet O. Speegle
, Christopher Jensen
, Joseph Cerafice
, Sanjay Sampath

Materials Science and Engineering

Harvard-Smithsonian Ctr. Astrophys.
NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
LLC

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

X-ray optics are an essential component of nearly all future X-ray astronomy missions. Nickel electroforming of full shell optics is well established and several existing X-ray astronomy missions have used the technique to fabricate Wolter mirror modules. Our innovative approach merges current electroform technology with lower density materials, replacing much of the electroformed nickel with ceramic material which has higher stiffness, higher hardness and lower mass when compared with current electroformed nickel large shell optics. This will lead to future cost effective missions with large effective area and lightweight optics. Below we describe our approach and present our most recent results.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Optics for EUV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Astronomy XII
Editors	Jessica A. Gaskin, Daniele Spiga
Publisher	SPIE
ISBN (Electronic)	9781510691605
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3064584
State	Published - Sep 19 2025
Event	12th Optics for EUV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Astronomy - San Diego, United States Duration: Aug 4 2025 → Aug 7 2025

Publication series

Name	Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume	13626
ISSN (Print)	0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)	1996-756X

Conference

Conference	12th Optics for EUV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Astronomy
Country/Territory	United States
City	San Diego
Period	08/4/25 → 08/7/25

Keywords

Electroformed Nickel Replication
Plasma Thermal Spray
Wolter optics
X-ray Optics

Access to Document

10.1117/12.3064584

Cite this

Romaine, S., Hong, J., Bruni, R., Elvis, M., Bongiorno, S. D., Thomas, N., Smith, D., Banks, D., Meekham, A., Singam, S. P., Speegle, C. O., Jensen, C., Cerafice, J., & Sampath, S. (2025). Merging Technologies: Light-weight, High-throughput Full-Shell Optics for X-ray Imaging. In J. A. Gaskin, & D. Spiga (Eds.), Optics for EUV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Astronomy XII Article 136260R (Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering; Vol. 13626). SPIE. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3064584

@inproceedings{2760340171964d8b983072b172fd7f78,

title = "Merging Technologies: Light-weight, High-throughput Full-Shell Optics for X-ray Imaging",

abstract = "X-ray optics are an essential component of nearly all future X-ray astronomy missions. Nickel electroforming of full shell optics is well established and several existing X-ray astronomy missions have used the technique to fabricate Wolter mirror modules. Our innovative approach merges current electroform technology with lower density materials, replacing much of the electroformed nickel with ceramic material which has higher stiffness, higher hardness and lower mass when compared with current electroformed nickel large shell optics. This will lead to future cost effective missions with large effective area and lightweight optics. Below we describe our approach and present our most recent results.",

keywords = "Electroformed Nickel Replication, Plasma Thermal Spray, Wolter optics, X-ray Optics",

author = "Suzanne Romaine and Jaesub Hong and Ricardo Bruni and Martin Elvis and Bongiorno, \{Stephan D.\} and Nicholas Thomas and David Smith and David Banks and Amy Meekham and Singam, \{Srikanth Panini\} and Speegle, \{Chet O.\} and Christopher Jensen and Joseph Cerafice and Sanjay Sampath",

year = "2025",

month = sep,

day = "19",

doi = "10.1117/12.3064584",

language = "English",

series = "Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering",

publisher = "SPIE",

editor = "Gaskin, \{Jessica A.\} and Daniele Spiga",

booktitle = "Optics for EUV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Astronomy XII",

}

Romaine, S, Hong, J, Bruni, R, Elvis, M, Bongiorno, SD, Thomas, N, Smith, D, Banks, D, Meekham, A, Singam, SP, Speegle, CO, Jensen, C, Cerafice, J & Sampath, S 2025, Merging Technologies: Light-weight, High-throughput Full-Shell Optics for X-ray Imaging. in JA Gaskin & D Spiga (eds), Optics for EUV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Astronomy XII., 136260R, Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, vol. 13626, SPIE, 12th Optics for EUV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Astronomy, San Diego, United States, 08/4/25. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3064584

Merging Technologies: Light-weight, High-throughput Full-Shell Optics for X-ray Imaging. / Romaine, Suzanne; Hong, Jaesub; Bruni, Ricardo et al.
Optics for EUV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Astronomy XII. ed. / Jessica A. Gaskin; Daniele Spiga. SPIE, 2025. 136260R (Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering; Vol. 13626).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Merging Technologies

T2 - 12th Optics for EUV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Astronomy

AU - Romaine, Suzanne

AU - Hong, Jaesub

AU - Bruni, Ricardo

AU - Elvis, Martin

AU - Bongiorno, Stephan D.

AU - Thomas, Nicholas

AU - Smith, David

AU - Banks, David

AU - Meekham, Amy

AU - Singam, Srikanth Panini

AU - Speegle, Chet O.

AU - Jensen, Christopher

AU - Cerafice, Joseph

AU - Sampath, Sanjay

PY - 2025/9/19

Y1 - 2025/9/19

N2 - X-ray optics are an essential component of nearly all future X-ray astronomy missions. Nickel electroforming of full shell optics is well established and several existing X-ray astronomy missions have used the technique to fabricate Wolter mirror modules. Our innovative approach merges current electroform technology with lower density materials, replacing much of the electroformed nickel with ceramic material which has higher stiffness, higher hardness and lower mass when compared with current electroformed nickel large shell optics. This will lead to future cost effective missions with large effective area and lightweight optics. Below we describe our approach and present our most recent results.

AB - X-ray optics are an essential component of nearly all future X-ray astronomy missions. Nickel electroforming of full shell optics is well established and several existing X-ray astronomy missions have used the technique to fabricate Wolter mirror modules. Our innovative approach merges current electroform technology with lower density materials, replacing much of the electroformed nickel with ceramic material which has higher stiffness, higher hardness and lower mass when compared with current electroformed nickel large shell optics. This will lead to future cost effective missions with large effective area and lightweight optics. Below we describe our approach and present our most recent results.

KW - Electroformed Nickel Replication

KW - Plasma Thermal Spray

KW - Wolter optics

KW - X-ray Optics

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105024719863

U2 - 10.1117/12.3064584

DO - 10.1117/12.3064584

M3 - Conference contribution

AN - SCOPUS:105024719863

T3 - Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering

BT - Optics for EUV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Astronomy XII

A2 - Gaskin, Jessica A.

A2 - Spiga, Daniele

PB - SPIE

Y2 - 4 August 2025 through 7 August 2025

ER -

Merging Technologies: Light-weight, High-throughput Full-Shell Optics for X-ray Imaging

Abstract

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Keywords

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