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Focusing effect of bent GaAs crystals for γ-ray Laue lenses: Monte Carlo and experimental results

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Abstract

We report on results of observation of the focusing effect from the planes (220) of Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) crystals. We have compared the experimental results with the Monte Carlo simulations of the focusing capability of GaAs tiles performed with a dedicated ray-tracer. The GaAs tiles were bent using a lapping process developed at the cnr/imem - Parma (Italy) in the framework of the laue project, funded by ASI, dedicated to build a broad band Laue lens prototype for astrophysical applications in the hard X-/soft γ-ray energy range (80-600 keV). We present and discuss the results obtained from their characterization, mainly in terms of focusing capability. Bent crystals will significantly increase the signal to noise ratio of a telescope based on a Laue lens, consequently leading to an unprecedented enhancement of sensitivity with respect to the present non focusing instrumentation.

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Acknowledgements

The laue team wish to tanks the Italian Space Agency for the financial support under the contract I/068/09/0.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, University of Ferrara, Via Saragat 1/c, 44122, Ferrara, Italy

    E. Virgilli, F. Frontera & P. Rosati

  2. CNR-IMEM Institute, Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A, 43124, Parma, Italy

    E. Bonnini, E. Buffagni & C. Ferrari

  3. INAF/IASF via Piero Gobetti, 101, 40129, Bologna, Italy

    J. B. Stephen, E. Caroli, N. Auricchio, A. Basili & S. Silvestri

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  1. E. Virgilli
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  2. F. Frontera
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  3. P. Rosati
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  4. E. Bonnini
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  5. E. Buffagni
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  6. C. Ferrari
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  7. J. B. Stephen
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  8. E. Caroli
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  9. N. Auricchio
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  10. A. Basili
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  11. S. Silvestri
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Correspondence to E. Virgilli.

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Virgilli, E., Frontera, F., Rosati, P. et al. Focusing effect of bent GaAs crystals for γ-ray Laue lenses: Monte Carlo and experimental results. Exp Astron 41, 307–326 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10686-015-9490-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10686-015-9490-x

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