The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded Inrad Optics (Northvale, NJ) a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant to continue development of soft x-ray crystals used in fusion plasma diagnostics. The award of $999,926 extends funding beyond the successfully completed Phase I effort.
In Phase I, Inrad Optics demonstrated growth of large crystalline boules of the soft x-ray material potassium acid phthalate (KAP) and fabricated thin, curved optics from the grown boules. During Phase II, crystal growth of other soft x-ray crystals will be conducted and fabrication processes will be optimized. Collaborators at research facilities throughout the U.S. have expressed interest in evaluating prototypes as part of the Phase II effort.
Candace Lynch, the project’s principal investigator, said, “We are excited about the opportunity to leverage our expertise in both crystal growth and bent crystal fabrication to develop a high-quality supply of soft x-ray crystals to benefit fusion energy research.”
Spectroscopy and imaging of low energy (soft) x-rays is important for the fusion research efforts underway at facilities in the U.S. and abroad. The critical component in these systems is a crystal, thinned and bent to a precise geometry to permit diffraction and focusing of x-ray radiation. Inrad Optics is a leading supplier of bent crystals for hard x-ray applications and has four decades of experience in crystal growth.
Source: Inrad Optics
