| A gamma-ray lens for nuclear astrophysics |
Everybody thought that it was impossible,
Marcel Pagnol, 1895-1974except an idiot who didn’t know that - and who did it. |
| Until recently, focusing of gamma-radiation was regarded as an impracticable task. Today, gamma-ray lenses have become feasible and present promising perspectives for future instrumentation. For the first time in high energy astronomy the signal/noise ratio will be dramatically improved as gamma-rays are collected on the large area of a lens from where they are focused onto a small detector. Besides an unprecedented sensitivity, MAX will feature very high angular and energy resolution. |
| no comprendo ? | version française |
| why a gamma-ray lens ? | the instruments for nuclear astrophysics |
| what good ? | the scientific potential of crystal diffraction telescopes |
| how to focus gamma-rays ? | the principle of the gamma-ray lens |
| does it really work ?
|
the laboratory prototype
the diffraction efficiency the first tunable gamma-ray lens CLAIRE - first light for a gamma-ray lens |
| MAX | a gamma-ray lens for nuclear astrophysics |
| want to know more ? | the publications
slides |
update : march 2004
questions and comments: Peter
von Ballmoos