ESA optics engineer Eric Wille explains the origin of silicon pore optics, the new optical technology underpinning Europe’s Athena space observatory to observe the hot, high-energy cosmos. <br /> <br />Polishing and stacking together silicon wafers – normally used to manufacture integrated circuits – allows the focusing of X-rays to see far further into space. ESA shares the patent for this technology with Cosine Research, the Dutch company currently developing it. <br /> <br />The mission launch is 12 years away, but work von preparing its silicon pore optics module is already well underway. <br /> <br />Find out more: <br />http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Engineering_Technology/Talking_technology/Catching_X-rays_in_stacked_silicon <br /> <br />More Talking Technology: <br />http://www.esa.int/talkingtechnology
