Extended formalism for simulating compound refractive lens-based x-ray microscopes

TL;DR

This paper introduces an advanced formalism for simulating and optimizing compound refractive lens-based x-ray microscopes, incorporating attenuation effects and providing analytical expressions for key imaging parameters.

Contribution

It extends ray transfer matrix analysis to include x-ray attenuation, offering a comprehensive tool for lens simulation and optimization in various imaging setups.

Findings

Analytical expressions for numerical aperture, vignetting, chromatic aberration, and focal length.

Applicable to both thin- and thick-lens geometries.

Enhanced simulation accuracy for CRL-based x-ray microscopy.

Abstract

We present a comprehensive formalism for the simulation and optimisation of CRLs in both condensing and full-field imaging configurations. The approach extends ray transfer matrix analysis to account for x-ray attenuation by the lens material. Closed analytical expressions for critical imaging parameters such as numerical aperture, vignetting, chromatic aberration and focal length are provided for both thin- and thick-lens imaging geometries.