X-ray wavefront analysis and phase reconstruction with a two-dimensional shearing interferometer

Abstract

We present the design and simulations of the expected performance of a novel 2-D x-ray shearing interferometer. This interferometer uses crossed phase gratings in a single plane, and is capable of operation over a wide range of energies extending from several hundred electron volts to tens of kiloelectron volts by varying the grating material and thickness. This interferometer is insensitive to vibrations and, unlike Moiré deflectometers implemented in the hard x-ray regime, recovers the full 2-D phase profile of the x-ray beam rather than the gradient in only one dimension.