The X-ray imaging apparatus is provided with a plurality of gratings including an X-ray source and a first grating, a detector, a grating rotation mechanism for rotating a plurality of gratings respectively, and an image processor for generating at least a dark field image. The image processor is configured to generate a dark field image captured by arranging the grating at a plurality of angles in a plane orthogonal to the optical axis direction.

A reflector (2) comprising a plate (4) supported by a substrate (8), wherein the plate has a reflective surface (5) and is secured to the substrate by adhesive free bonding, and wherein a cooling channel array (10) is provided in the reflector. The channels (16) of the cooling channel array may be formed from open channels in a surface of the substrate, the open channels being closed by the plate to create the channels.

An EUV collector serves for use in an EUV projection exposure apparatus. The collector guides EUV used light emitted by a plasma source region. An overall impingement surface of the collector is impinged upon by radiation emitted by the plasma source region. A used light portion of the overall impingement surface guides the EUV used light. An extraneous light portion of the overall impingement surface is impinged upon by extraneous light radiation, the wavelength of which differs from that of the used light. The used light portion and the extraneous light portion are not congruent. This EUV collector has increased efficiency can involve reduced production costs.

An adjustable diffraction grating includes: an optical element and a distortion mechanism. The optical element has an optical surface to receive an input radiation beam. The optical element is provided with a plurality of closed channels below the optical surface, above each closed channel the optical surface being formed from a membrane of material. The distortion mechanism includes one or more actuators that are operable to distort the membranes over the closed channels so as to control the shape of the optical surface and to form a periodic structure on the optical surface which acts as a diffraction grating such that the input radiation beam is diffracted from the optical element to form a plurality of angularly separated sub-beams.

A method for forming a multi-layered, stacked grid structure includes aligning a first grid structure with a second grid structure, wherein both the first grid structure and the second grid structure each include a substrate in which a plurality of trenches are formed and a cured carrier fluid disposed within the plurality of trenches, and wherein a plurality of nano-particles are suspended within the cured carrier fluid. The method also includes, upon aligning the first grid structure and the second grid structure so that their respective plurality of trenches are aligned in the same orientation, joining the first grid structure and the second grid structure together to form the multi-layered, stacked grid structure.

Provided are a mask inspection apparatus and a mask inspection method that can prevent a reduction in a reflectance of a drop-in mirror, which is caused by carbon contaminants. A mask inspection apparatus according to the present invention includes a drop-in mirror including multi-layer film and a reflective surface. The drop-in mirror is configured to reflect illumination light incident on the reflective surface and illuminate the mask. An area of the reflective surface is configured to be greater than an area of an illuminated spot irradiated with the illumination light on the reflective surface. The drop-in mirror is configured to be movable. A position of the illuminated spot on the reflective surface is configured to be moved when the drop-in mirror is moved.

An X-ray metal grating structure of the present invention has a grating region in which a plurality of first structural portions are periodically provided, wherein an air gap is formed between each of the plurality of first structural portions and a second structural portion as a remaining part of the grating region other than the plurality of first structural portions. Thus, the X-ray metal grating structure of the present invention is formed as a grating structure having high flatness. A production method therefor comprises a step of forming the air gap between the first structural portion and the second structural portion. Thus, the production method makes it possible to produce an X-ray metal grating structure having high flatness. The present invention further provides an X-ray metal grating unit and an X-ray imaging device each comprising the X-ray metal grating structure.

An adjustable diffraction grating includes: an optical element and a distortion mechanism. The optical element has an optical surface to receive an input radiation beam. The optical element is provided with a plurality of closed channels below the optical surface, above each closed channel the optical surface being formed from a membrane of material. The distortion mechanism includes one or more actuators that are operable to distort the membranes over the closed channels so as to control the shape of the optical surface and to form a periodic structure on the optical surface which acts as a diffraction grating such that the input radiation beam is diffracted from the optical element to form a plurality of angularly separated sub-beams.

Embodiments relate to an X-ray interferometer for imaging an object comprising: a phase grating for effecting in correspondence with the phase grating geometry a phase shift to at least a part of X-ray incident onto the phase grating; and an absorption grating for effecting in correspondence with the absorption grating geometry absorption to at least a part of X-ray incident onto the absorption grating. The grating period of the phase grating, and the grating period of the absorption grating may be dimensioned such that a detector for X-rays can be placed at a relatively large distance away from the absorption grating such the phase contrast sensitivity of the image of the object detected by the detector remains substantially unaffected.

A beam-splitting apparatus arranged to receive an input radiation beam and split the input radiation beam into a plurality of output radiation beams. The beam-splitting apparatus comprising a plurality of reflective diffraction gratings arranged to receive a radiation beam and configured to form a diffraction pattern comprising a plurality of diffraction orders, at least some of the reflective diffraction gratings being arranged to receive a 0.sup.th diffraction order formed at another of the reflective diffraction gratings. The reflective diffraction gratings are arranged such that the optical path of each output radiation beam includes no more than one instance of a diffraction order which is not a 0.sup.th diffraction order.