The impact of novel 3D diffraction optics development

Availability of suitable diffractive VUV and X ray optics is the basis of further breakthrough in measurement techniques, especially for time resolved spectroscopy. The quality of achievable results depends first of all on the availability of high quality optical components like gratings or diffractive focusing elements. Here, we report about the development of new methods of time resolved x ray spectroscopy based on novel 3D diffractive optical elements DOE with a unique combination of properties. Such optical elements are of high interest for application in modern synchrotron facilities, Free Electron Lasers FELs and laboratory facilities with high harmonic generators HHG . We discuss the development of theory and technology of the optics, optics metrology, as well as application of this optics to atomic, molecular and condensed matter physics. The results of the successful implementation of such 3D DOE into an X ray femtoslicing beamline at BESSY II are presented. We argue the opportunities of implementation of 3D DOE in upcoming new high brilliance X ray sources such as Free Electron Lasers FELs . The most important is the reduction of the number of optical elements in a beamline would allow the highest possible transmission and satisfy the purpose of conserving the unique properties of FELs such as their high coherence. Such elements are presently neither available nor under development at other research institution