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Development of piezoelectric actuators for active X-ray optics

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Abstract

Piezoelectric actuators are widely utilised in adaptive optics to enable mirrors having an actively controlled reflective surface for the purpose of the wavefront correction by reducing the effects of rapidly changing optical distortion. Two new prototype adaptive X-ray optical systems are under development with the aim of approaching the fundamental diffraction limit. One proposed technology is microstructured optical arrays (MOAs) involving two or four piezoelectric strips bonded to a silicon wafer to produce a micro-focused X-ray source for biological applications, and which uses grazing incidence reflection through consecutive aligned arrays of channels obtained using deep silicon etching. Another technology is large scale optics which uses a thin shell mirror bonded with 20–40 piezoelectric actuators for the next generation of X-ray telescopes with an aim to achieve a resolution greater than that currently available by Chandra (0.5"). PZT-based piezoelectric actuators are being developed in this programme according to the design and implementation of the proposed mirror and array structures. Viscous plastic processing is chosen for the preparation of the materials system, which is subsequently formed and shaped into the suitable configurations. Precise controls on the thickness, surface finish and the curvature are the key factors to delivering satisfactory actuators. Unimorph type piezoelectric actuators have been proposed for the applications and results are presented regarding the fabrication and characterisation of such piezo-actuators, as well as the related design concepts and comparison to modelling work.

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Acknowledgements

This work is supported by a Basic Technologies Grant from the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) (DO4880X). The authors would like to thank the help and advice offered by fellow members of the SXO consortium and especially the technical contributions of Carl Meggs and Geoffrey Dolman.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Metallurgy and Materials, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK

    Dou Zhang, Daniel Rodriguez-Sanmartin & Tim W. Button

  2. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK

    Carolyn Atkins, David Brooks, Peter Doel & Hongchang Wang

  3. Scottish Microelectronics Centre, School of Engineering and Electronics, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JF, UK

    Camelia Dunare, William Parkes & Tom Stevenson

  4. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK

    Charlotte Feldman & Richard Willingale

  5. Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6NT, UK

    Ady James

  6. Department of Physics, King’s College London, Strand, London, WC2R 2LS, UK

    Alan Michette, Slawka Pfauntsch & Shahin Sahraei

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  1. Dou Zhang
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  2. Daniel Rodriguez-Sanmartin
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  3. Tim W. Button
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  4. Carolyn Atkins
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  5. David Brooks
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  6. Peter Doel
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  7. Camelia Dunare
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  8. Charlotte Feldman
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  9. Ady James
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  10. Alan Michette
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  11. William Parkes
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  12. Slawka Pfauntsch
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  13. Shahin Sahraei
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  14. Tom Stevenson
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  15. Hongchang Wang
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  16. Richard Willingale
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dou Zhang.

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Zhang, D., Rodriguez-Sanmartin, D., Button, T.W. et al. Development of piezoelectric actuators for active X-ray optics. J Electroceram 27, 1–6 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10832-009-9566-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10832-009-9566-y

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