Claims
- 1. A method for fabricating precision x-ray collimators including precision focusing x-ray collimators comprising the steps of:providing an electrically conductive substrate; coating said substrate with a layer of x-ray resist; utilizing an intense collimated radiation source for exposing said layer of x-ray resist with a pattern of x-ray; said pattern delineating a grid of apertures to collimate the x-rays defined by a grating mask disposed proximate to said substrate; said pattern defined by first scanning said substrate vertically in a z-direction while varying an angle of inclination of said substrate as a function of a vertical position during the first scan; rotating the substrate by 90 degrees in an X-Z plane while keeping said grating mask fixed; and second scanning said rotated substrate vertically in said z-direction while varying said angle of inclination of said substrate as a function of a vertical position during the second scan for fabricating x-ray collimators having precision focusing in two directions; removing exposed parts of said x-ray resist; and electroplating regions of said removed x-ray resist.
- 2. A method for fabricating precision x-ray collimators as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of providing an electrically conductive substrate includes the step of coating a substrate with a layer of electrically conductive material.
- 3. A method for fabricating precision x-ray collimators as recited in claim 2 wherein the step of coating a substrate with a layer of electrically conductive material includes the steps of coating a substrate with a layer of metal.
- 4. A method for fabricating focusing x-ray collimators as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of utilizing an intense collimated radiation source for exposing said layer of x-ray resist with a pattern of x-ray includes the steps of utilizing a synchrotron radiation source for exposing said layer of x-ray resist with a pattern of x-ray.
- 5. A method for fabricating precision x-ray collimators as recited in claim 1 wherein said first and second scanning steps produce x-ray collimators having different focus distance relative to the X direction versus the Z direction.
- 6. A method for fabricating precision x-ray collimators as recited in claim 1 wherein said first and second scanning steps produce x-ray collimators having different focus distance as a function of the distance from the center of the collimator.
- 7. A method for fabricating precision focusing x-ray collimators as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of utilizing an intense collimated radiation source for exposing said layer of x-ray resist with said pattern of x-ray includes the steps of utilizing a two stage scanner, a first stage of said two stage scanner for moving said substrate in a first direction and a second stage of said two stage scanner mounted on said first stage for rotating said substrate in a plane about the first direction.
- 8. A method for fabricating precision x-ray collimators as recited in claim 1 further includes the step of removing remaining resist from said substrate after electroplating regions of said removed x-ray resist.
- 9. A method for fabricating precision x-ray collimators as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of coating said substrate with said layer of x-ray resist includes the steps of coating said sub strate with a positive x-ray resist polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) or a negative x-ray resist epoxy.
- 10. A method for fabricating precision x-ray collimators as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of removing exposed parts of said x-ray resist includes the steps of removing exposed parts of said x-ray resist polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) or said negative x-ray resist epoxy.
- 11. A method for fabricating precision x-ray collimators as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of electroplating regions of said removed x-ray resist includes the step of electroplating regions of said removed x-ray resist with a metal capable of absorbing x-rays.
- 12. A method for fabricating precision x-ray collimators as recited in claim 11 wherein the step of electroplating regions of said removed x-ray resist with said metal capable of absorbing x-rays includes the steps of electroplating one of gold, nickel, copper, platinum, zinc, lead, tin and alloys thereof, or another galvanic metal into regions of said removed x-ray resist.
Government Interests
The United States Government has rights in this invention pursuant to Contract No. W-31-109-ENG-38 between the United States Government and Argonne National Laboratory.
US Referenced Citations (6)