X-ray focusing scheme with continuously variable lens

A novel hybrid X-ray focusing scheme was developed for operation of the X-ray streak camera at the Advanced Photon Source: an X-ray lens focuses vertically from a long distance of 16 m and produces an extended focus that has a small footprint on an inexpensive sagittal mirror. A patented method is used to continuously adjust the focal length of the lens and compensate for chromatic dispersion in energy scans.