title: Development of an alternating magnetic-field-assisted finishing process for microelectromechanical systems micropore x-ray optics.
abstract: X-ray astronomy research is often limited by the size, weight, complexity, and cost of functioning x-ray optics. Micropore optics promises an economical alternative to traditional (e.g., glass or foil) x-ray optics; however, many manufacturing difficulties prevent micropore optics from being a viable solution. Ezoe et al. introduced microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) micropore optics having curvilinear micropores in 2008. Made by either deep reactive ion etching or x-ray lithography, electroforming, and molding (LIGA), MEMS micropore optics suffer from high micropore sidewall roughness (10-30nmrms) which, by current standards, cannot be improved. In this research, a new alternating magnetic-field-assisted finishing process was developed using a mixture of ferrofluid and microscale abrasive slurry. A machine was built, and a set of working process parameters including alternating frequency, abrasive size, and polishing time was selected. A polishing experiment on a LIGA-fabricated MEMS micropore optic was performed, and a change in micropore sidewall roughness of 9.3+/-2.5nmrms to 5.7+/-0.7nmrms was measured. An improvement in x-ray reflectance was also seen. This research shows the feasibility and confirms the effects of this new polishing process on MEMS micropore optics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida,227 MAE-B, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA. pigup@ufl.edu
authors.forename: Raul E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Riveros
authors.forename: Hitomi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Ikuyuki
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mitsuishi
authors.forename: Utako
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Takagi
authors.forename: Yuichiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ezoe
authors.forename: Fumiki
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.forename: Noriko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamasaki
authors.forename: Kazuhisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mitsuda