Optics (XSD-OPT) | Advanced Photon Source

The core mission of OPT is to develop and deliver innovative x-ray optics and optical systems and provide related services to further the APS mission of enabling cutting-edge scientific research. In support of this mission, the Optics group:

Designs, fabricates, and characterizes x-ray optical elements, such as crystal monochromators and analyzers, single- and multi-layer optics, and nanofocusing optics;
Operates and develops optics fabrication and characterization laboratories and instruments, including the crystal optics fabrication laboratory, the deposition laboratory, the optical metrology laboratory, and the 1-BM Optics Testing Beamline; and
Conducts R&D to develop future-generation optical components, such as wavefront- preserving optics and wavefront sensors and characterization tools, as well as beamline optics simulation, diagnostics, and optimization tools.

Established in the mid-1990s after the commissioning of the APS, OPT has evolved to comprise the following main activities: 1) crystal optics and multilayer optics development and fabrication, 2) zone plate development and fabrication, 3) beamline optics simulation, characterization, and optimization, 4) optical metrology, and 5) operation of the 1-BM Optics Testing Beamline.

Work Request Form

To submit a work request to the Optics group, select the Work Request Form link.

Crystal Optics Fabrication and Characterization

Design, development and fabrication of crystal optics for APS beamlines and users using in-house infrastructure, capabilities, and expertise.

The three images on the left display examples of crystal optics components made by the Optics Group. The image on the right shows the interface of the in-house LauePt software tool, designed for crystal orientation and white-beam topography analysis.

Mirrors and Multilayer Optics

Develop and fabricate single and multilayer thin film optics, as well as experimental samples, primarily for APS beamlines and users. Staff are available for consultation regarding thin-film deposition materials selection and general optical component design or simulation.

Zone Plates and other Nano-fabricated X-ray Optics

Work requests can be submitted by filling the Optics Group's work request from.

Optical Metrology

The mission of the Metrology Laboratory is to evaluate the figure and surface finish of X-ray mirrors and substrates intended for use in APS beamlines. The lab is equipped with five instruments(see figure below), spanning four different measurement techniques to address a wide range of metrology needs. All instruments are housed in a cleanroom environment with tightly controlled conditions to ensure measurement accuracy and repeatability.

LTP/NOM Slope Profiler

Zygo Verifire HDX Interferometer

NexView roughness microscope

Mirror twist measurement
and correction station

Adaptive mirror test station

X-ray Beam Wavefront Sensors, Characterization, and Diagnostic

The optics group develops advanced wavefront sensing and coherence measurement techniques to support APS optics development and beamline characterization and diagnostic.

1-BM Optics and Detectors Testing Beamline

Current optics Testing Capabilities include: monochromatic topography, white beam topography, Talbot grating interferometry, K-B mirrors testing, Zone plate and multilayer layer Laue lens (MLL) testing.

Experiment proposal requests can be submitted using the APS Users proposal portal

Beamline Optics Design and Optimization

The Optics Group develops advanced beamline optics simulation and optimization tools, including AI-driven autoalignment, to enhance beamline performance. We provide support for APS beamline design and optimization.