Performance and characterization of a MEMS-based device for alignment and manipulation of x-ray nanofocusing optics

Abstract

X-ray microscopy is a powerful, non-invasive tool used for nanometer-scale resolution imaging, and it is widely applied in various areas of science and technology. To push the spatial resolution of x-ray microscopy studies in the hard x-ray regime below 10 nm, Multilayer Laue Lenses (MLL) can be used as nanofocusing elements. To ensure distortion-free x-ray imaging, high-stability microscopy systems are required. MEMS-based manipulators are a promising route to achieve high stability when used for alignment and manipulation of nanofocusing optics. In this work, we present a tip-tilt MEMS-based device suitable for MLL alignment. We fully characterize the device and demonstrate better-than 10 millidegree angular positioning resolution when utilizing capacitive displacement sensors, and better-than 0.8 millidegree resolution when using laser interferometry.