Methodology for optimalin situalignment and setting of bendable optics for nearly diffraction-limited focusing of soft x-rays

We demonstrate a comprehensive and broadly applicable methodology for the optimal in situ configuration of bendable soft x-ray Kirkpatrick-Baez mirrors. The mirrors used for this application are preset at the Advanced Light Source Optical Metrology Laboratory prior to beamline installation. The in situ methodology consists of a new technique for simultaneously setting the height and pitch angle of each mirror. The benders of both mirrors were then optimally tuned in order to minimize ray aberrations to a level below the diffraction-limited beam waist size of 200 nm (horizontal)×100 nm (vertical) . After applying this methodology, we measured a beam waist size of 290 nm (horizontal)×130 nm (vertical) with 1 nm light using the Foucault knife-edge test. We also discuss the utility of using a grating-based lateral shearing interferometer with quantitative wavefront feedback for further improvement of bendable optics.