The X-ray Optics Laboratory is a premier scientific center with 25 years of world-class expertise. Its specialists design and manufacture cutting-edge X-ray optics instruments, participate in international space projects, and possess unique technologies unmatched globally.
The laboratory has significantly advanced astrophysics and solar astronomy by developing four orbital observatories:
Phobos-1
TEREK-K
SPIRIT
TESIS
Additionally, it contributed to three new observatories:
ARKA
KORTES
Interheliosond
In 2012, the laboratory conducted a successful rocket experiment with NASA (Hi-C), creating the world’s most precise solar telescope. This project validated the laboratory’s unparalleled technological capabilities.
The laboratory is the only facility worldwide employing:
Magnetron and ion-plasma deposition of thin beryllium films
Optical surface shape correction while maintaining angstrom-level roughness
Sub-nanometer precision optics metrology
The laboratory offers designs with 0.1-arcsecond resolution, enabling breakthroughs in astronomical research.
A key focus is developing multilayer mirrors for the 2–60 nm range with peak reflectivity.
Innovations include absorption filters and polarizers for space- and ground-based applications.
The laboratory features advanced systems, such as:
Diffraction-wave interferometer
Soft X-ray and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) reflectometers
Czerny-Turner scheme reflectometer
10 magnetron and ion-beam deposition systems
2 ion-beam optical surface correction systems
The X-ray Optics Laboratory is a hub of advanced technology, bridging fundamental research and practical engineering. Its achievements in space observatories, precision optics, and collaborations with leading global agencies solidify its role as a key player in modern X-ray optics.
Each year, the laboratory pushes scientific boundaries, delivering innovative solutions for exploring the Universe.