Polycapillary optics

Shaping and focusing of X-rays using glass capillaries of various shapes.

¹ Polycapillary lenses, which are constantly being developed and manufactured in Germany. ² High-end capillary optics made by Fischer – the world's only manufacturer of X-ray fluorescence measuring devices with in-house production of polycapillary optics. ³ Three different high-end polycapillary optics available – the right solution for each of your applications: 10 µm halo-free, 20 µm halo-free or 20 µm standard.

Polycapillary optics consist of hundreds of extremely fine glass capillaries that are drawn together into a precisely defined shape. They enable almost loss-free transmission, shaping and highly effective focusing of X-rays. We manufacture polycapillary optics according to your individual specifications – for the best results in your application. Let our experts advise you without obligation.

Outstanding measurement results with short measurement times thanks to concentration of the excitation beam

One of only two manufacturers of polycapillary optics in the world

Manufactured with the highest precision – for the best quality and durability

Continuous optimization and further development of our optics

Individually manufactured polycapillary optics, tailored to your requirements

Best values for aperture, intensity amplification and working distance in a broad energy spectrum from 1 - 50 keV

No matter what size and shape, can be perfectly integrated into your equipment and devices

Development and manufacture of all components in Berlin

Over 30 years of know-how in the development of customized polycapillary optics

The mode of operation of X-ray capillary optics is based on the effect of the total external reflection of X-rays on the inner, very smooth surfaces of the glass capillaries. For very small angles of incidence, almost 100 % of the X-rays are reflected by the glass wall of the capillary and can therefore be guided through the optics with extremely low losses.

θcr [rad] " 0.02.r 1/2 [g.cm-3]/E [keV] FWHM " F ٠θcr

Optics with precisely defined properties such as angle of incidence, focal distance and size of the focal point can be produced by selectively deforming a capillary bundle. They allow X-rays to be concentrated on a defined area of the sample surface. Compared to a pinhole collimator of the same diameter, an intensity five hundred to a thousand times higher can be achieved.

Essential information for specifying the optics are the properties of the X-ray source, the desired beam shaping, the desired focal spot size, and the energy range of the photons that are to be effectively guided. Due to the high flexibility of the geometric parameters, polycapillary optics enable a wide range of different applications. The different types of X-ray optics and their typical properties are described in VDI/VDE directives 5575, among others.

Our polycapillary optics enable a wide range of applications:

Do you have other applications? Then contact us!

Collimating polycapillary optics. From divergent input beam to quasi-parallel output beam.

Collimating polycapillary optics make it possible to parallelize and collimate divergent radiation. The divergent input beam is transformed into a quasi-parallel output beam. The output beam has a low divergence. Such collimating polycapillary optics are mainly applied in X-ray diffractometry.

Each optic is custom-designed according to your requirements and closely coordinated with you. Please do not hesitate to contact us.