X-ray transmissive optical mirror apparatus

A system to generate x-rays by Compton backscattering, comprising:

• an electron storage ring guiding electrons through an interaction point disposed along a portion of said electron storage ring;
• and
• an optical system generating photon pulses coupled to said interaction point, the optical system including a high finesse optical resonator having a mirror reflective to said photon pulses and transmissive to x-rays, the mirror including:
• a mirror body portion configured to provide mechanical support to a mirror surface, the mirror surface being continuous throughout an entire region encompass d by a first diameter and the mirror hod;
• portion having an interior region of reduced thickness within a second diameter so that the mirror body portion is at least partially transmissive to x-rays, the second diameter being less than the first diameter;
• an optically reflective coating deposited on said mirror surface, said optically reflective coating being at least partially transmissive to x-rays;
• and
• the system having a 180 degree backscattering geometry with an output x-ray beam being coaxial with a center of an optical mode impinging the mirror surface, the mirror being reflective to light throughout the entire region of the mirror surface encompassed by the first diameter inclusive of the portion of the mirror surface within the second diameter, a portion of the mirror within the second diameter further being an x-ray aperture for transmission of x-rays through the mirror.

A method of generating x-rays by Compton backscattering, comprising:

• storing electrons in an electron storage ring;
• storing photons in an optical resonator coupled to a portion of the electron storage ring to generate an x-ray beam via approximately 180 degree Compton backscattering at an interaction point;
• and
• utilizing a mirror of the optical resonator to simultaneously transmit the x-ray beam and reflect photons back into the optical resonator, the mirror being reflective to light throughout an entire region of a mirror surface encompassed by a first diameter and a body portion of the mirror having a reduced thickness within a second diameter less than the first diameter to form an x-ray aperture for the x-ray beam.