Nano-technology for Advanced X-Ray Microcapillary Plates
Abstract
The spectacular successes of the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) and its impending shut down highlight the need for a capable successor mission. A large-area X-ray timing mission with 5-10 times the collecting area of the RXTE Proportional Counter Array (PCA) will be capable of probing the physics of extreme density, temperature, gravitation, and magnetic fields in ways that will have impacts on numerous fields of physics. These including measuring the nuclear matter equation of state and the effects of spin on the gravitational field around black holes. The Spectroscopic Time-Resolving Observatory for Broadband Energy X-rays (STROBE-X) is the proposed next generation X-ray timing mission. STROXE-X will probe strong gravity for stellar mass to supermassive black holes and ultra-dense matter with unprecedented effective area, high time-resolution, and good spectral resolution, while providing a powerful time-domain Xray observatory. Currently, STROBE-X is baselined for glass-based micropore collimators (MPC). MPCs have dramatically less mass and volume than collimator traditional designs, enabling large missions at modest cost. The disadvantage from MCPs is that they are made entirely of glass. Glass has a low X-ray "stopping power". We propose to dramatically improve MPC collimator technology by adding metal layers to the inside of the micropore walls. All fabrication techniques can be applied to large area MCP arrays. Prototype will be tested for performance at the MSFC Stray Light Facility and the thermal and mechanical properties that affect its use in a full instrument concept will be studied.
- Publication:
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NASA APRA Proposal
- Pub Date:
- 2017
- Bibcode:
- 2017apra.prop...76C