Stigmatic X-ray imaging using a single spherical Laue crystal

We propose a crystal configuration using a single Laue spherical crystal for imaging applications. A crystal in Laue geometry set to focus a divergent beam in the meridional (diffraction) plane, but does not focus in the sagittal plane. A transmission object placed in the beam is imaged with different horizontal and vertical aspect ratio, but it is possible to find a configuration with similar aspect ratio. This system is studied using ray tracing, which permit to reproduce preliminary experimental data [1]. The concept of a stigmatic focusing by a single optical element may have applications in imaging, like in transmission microscopy or for hard X-ray backlighting and self-imaging in high energy density plasma experiments. Inertial confinement fusion experiments and large tokamak projects such as ITER may benefit from this optical configuration.