Novel X-ray optics developed within the AHEAD2020 project

We present a summary of our contribution to the EU Horizon 2020 project AHEAD2020, with emphasis on the X-ray optics work package. The Czech Technical University – together with other collaborating institutes - studied innovative Lobster Eye (LE) and Kirkpatrick-Baez (KB) X-ray modules, based on the Multi Foil Optics technology (MFO). In addition, two major events were organized, namely a students workshop in December 2023 and a summer school in May 2024. The KB optics represents a promising and cost effective alternative to the currently used Wolter I telescopes. The LE X-ray optics, based on the Schmidt design, has a wide field of view (FOV) with a short focal length, making it suitable for CubeSat application. Thereby the 2D LE optics consist of two orthogonal sub-modules of flat smooth reflecting foils, each sub-modules focuses in one direction. The advantage of such optics is that it preserves the angular resolution throughout the FOV even for off-axis points, as demonstrated by simulations and measurements. There was a collaboration with Aschaffenburg University in design, development, and testing of the double LE module HORUS, comparing different reflecting coatings.