Grazing incidence X-ray optics in the Czech Republic: past, present, future

Abstract

I give a short overview of astronomical X-ray optics covering the past, recent, and future developments with an emphasis on grazing incidence optics and on developments in the Czech Republic. There is a long history in the X-ray optics development in the Czech Republic – the first X-ray mirror was produced in 1969. The first Czech X-ray mirror (50 mm Wolter for solar imaging) was flown to space onboard the Vertikal 8 rocket in 1979 as part of a photographic solar X-ray telescope in collaboration with Polish institutes. The recent developments focus on new technologies based on novel lightweight materials such as slumped glass foils and Silicon wafers and also on novel designs and arrangements such as wide-field Lobster Eye X-ray optics.