Synchrotron / X-ray: our optical components

The synchrotron is a powerful source of X-rays, generated by high-energy electrons circulating at close to the speed of light in a storage ring maintained in ultra-high vacuum.

To meet the quality and performance requirements of the synchrotron and X-ray markets, Bertin Winlight manufactures a wide range of mirrors, including aspherical optics (centered, off-axis or freeform), using innovative technologies. Bertin Winlight supplies mirrors either as bare components, or mounted in state-of-the-art mechanics such as Kirkpatrick-Baez KB, Benders with or without their vacuum chamber.

To deliver optimum performance on synchrotron light lines, these mirrors are integrated on a single fixed mount or in a bender, with or without coolers, positioners and gravity compensators. Bertin Winlight also designs and manufactures single and multi-channel X-ray microscopes for X-ray experiments and plasma diagnostics for large-scale instruments.

For several years now, Bertin Winlight has been investing in the mastery of its machining, polishing and inspection processes, to offer high-performance mirrors and optical components while meeting tight deadlines.

Bertin Winlight’ teams manufacture the following optical components:

• Flat, spherical, centered aspherical or off-axis aspherical mirrors,
• Lenses, prisms, portholes,
• Toric and cylindrical mirrors,
• Thin plates, echelons, image slicers,
• Free-form optics.

Bertin Winlight masters polishing techniques on all types of materials, low-expansion (silica, Zerodur, ULE, etc.) and infrared (ZnSe, germanium, silicon), as well as optical glass (Schott, Ohara, etc.), crystals (silicon, Fluorine (CaF2), BaF2, etc.), ceramics (SiC”) and metals (copper, aluminum, stainless steel, steel, invar, etc.).

X-ray mirrors

Bertin Winlight has been active in the synchrotron market for over 20 years, producing specific superpoly mirrors for X-ray applications, offering excellent surface quality. To meet the most stringent requirements of the synchrotron market, Bertin Winlight designs high-precision mirrors, optimized for grazing incidence and guaranteeing perfect focusing of the X-rays in the light lines where the experiments take place.

Based on specifications, Bertin Winlight designs, polishes and processes flat, cylindrical, toroidal or plane-elliptical mirrors, up to 1500 mm long and compatible with ultra-high vacuum environments.

To meet surface quality requirements, we assess our performance by measuring RMS slopes (e.g. 0.3 µrad RMS) and verifying superpolishing quality through roughness (e.g. 0.2 nm RMS). Mirrors are fully inspected and delivered with a test report containing 100% of the specifications.

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Aspherical mirrors (centered, off-axis, free-form)

Bertin Winlight manufactures centered and off-axis aspherical optics using innovative technologies that enable us to machine and polish directly off-axis parabolas without using a parent parabola. Mirror post-polishing is also carried out for metal mirrors machined by Diamond Turning. All our mirrors are optically tested using null lens configurations or direct interferometric testing.

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Benders

Our proprietary ultra-high-vacuum mirror bending technology adapts to all mirrors, face-up, face-down, sideways, and to all sizes up to 1500 mm long. It allows the mirror to be deformed in two distinct ways: by adding a simple curvature term or by generating an elliptical profile. To achieve this result, we size the mirror and the curver according to the configurations specified by our customers. This guarantees the necessary curvature travel and resolution, while ensuring the stability and quality of the mirror under stress. Our teams visit the site to install and wire the curver, and check its operation in the vacuum chamber.

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Coolers

To guarantee mirror quality under radiation, we can equip mirrors with side-cooling or indirect cooling (Eutectic bath). Cooler optimization calculations are performed using FEA (Finite Elements Analysis), and are budgeted for in the mirror quality report.

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KB systems

Bertin Winlight designs and manufactures KB (Kirkpatrick-Baez) systems for micro- and nanofocusing. Compatible with ultra-high vacuum environments, our KB systems consist of two curved x-mirrors, with vertical and horizontal focusing, designed to correct beam divergence in the synchrotron light line. With their unique technical features, these Kirkpatrick-Baez mirrors are installed in many synchrotron beamlines, thanks to their high operability and excellent focusing capability.

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Positioners and vacuum chambers

In the case of complete systems, we can design, build and supply the entire system, including mirror, curver, positioner and vacuum chamber, and install it on site. (Opposite: two complete Winlight systems with curved mirrors > 1400 mm installed at NSLS II (National Synchrotron Light Source II), New York, USA).

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