Abstract: An interferometer that uses plane mirrors at grazing incidence to create interference fringes in the extreme ultraviolet and x-ray portions of the spectrum. X-ray interferometry has historically been implemented through narrow band, diffractive systems that split the wavefront. By using two separate optical channels at grazing incidence to create interference from two areas of the wavefront, this system has broad band response and much higher efficiency. The interferometer has applications to telescopes, microscopes and spectrometers in the extreme ultraviolet and x-ray, and high contrast imaging in the visible.

Abstract: A new class of x-ray optic suitable for use in x-ray proximity lithography employs many mirror facets arranged in a grazing incidence geometry at a relatively large distance from the mask. Each mirror facet is substantially flat in that its radius of curvature is substantially larger than the target. Each facet creates an optically independent channel that covers the entire target. The facets are arranged so that many channels can simultaneously illuminate the target, thereby achieving high flux at the target with high uniformity. Constraints on local and global divergence at the mask are met by making the optic sufficiently small and placing it sufficiently distant from the target.