Hard X-ray/Soft gamma-ray Laue Lenses for High Energy Astrophysics

TL;DR

This paper reviews the development and potential of Laue lens technology for focusing hard X-ray and soft gamma-ray astronomy, aiming to improve sensitivity and imaging capabilities in this challenging energy band.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of Laue lens principles, technological progress, and feasibility studies for high-energy astrophysical observations.

Findings

Laue lenses can significantly enhance sensitivity in the 20 keV--1 MeV range.

Current technological developments are making feasible high-efficiency focusing optics.

Feasibility studies indicate promising observation prospects for future missions.

Abstract

The study of the celestial phenomena in the hard X-ray/soft gamma-ray band(20 keV--1 MeV) is very intriguing but also very difficult to be performed with the needed sensitivity. In this review I will discuss the astrophysical importance of the soft gamma-ray astronomy, its difficulties to solve its issues with the current instrumentation, and a possible solution achievable using focusing Laue lens. Concerning these instruments, I will discuss their functioning principle, how to achieve a high reflection efficiency, their imaging properties, the current feasibility studies, the technological developments and observation prospects.