Exploring x-ray capillary optics for astrophysics

X-ray capillary optics are arrays of large numbers of curved and tapered hollow glass tubes that guide x-rays similarly to how optical fibers guide visible light. These optics typically have an entrance aperture of up to a square centimeter, a focal length of 10cm or less, and concentrate the x-rays to a focal spot with a diameter of a few hundred microns. Given the short focal length, a telescope using x-ray capillary optics would be a smaller and lighter alternative to currently existing technologies. Using the 100-meter beamline at NASA/GSFC, we have characterized two x-ray capillary optics with an imaging detector and a custom silicon detector specifically designed for use with these optics. Here we present the results of these measurements and discuss our outlook for a future x-ray telescope using capillary optics.