Development of lightweight blazed transmission gratings and large-area soft x-ray spectrographs

Large area, high resolving power spectroscopy in the soft x-ray band can only be achieved with a state-of-the-art diffraction grating spectrometer, comprised of large collecting-area focusing optics with a narrow point spread function, large-area high-resolving power diffraction gratings, and small pixel, order sorting x-ray detectors. Recently developed critical-angle transmission (CAT) gratings combine the advantages of transmission gratings (low mass, relaxed figure and alignment tolerances) and blazed reflection gratings (high broad band diffraction efficiency, utilization of higher diffraction orders). Several new mission concepts containing CAT grating based spectrometers (AEGIS, AXSIO, SMART-X) promise to deliver unprecedented order-of-magnitude improvements in soft x-ray spectroscopy figures of merit related to the detection and characterization of emission and absorption lines, thereby addressing high-priority questions identified in the Astro2010 Decadal Survey “New Worlds New Horizons”. We review the current status of CAT grating fabrication, present recent fabrication results, and describe our plans and technology development roadmap for the coming year and beyond.