A technology center for the production of high precision reflection gratings has been established. Within this project a new optics beamline and a versatile reflectometer for at wavelength characterization of UV and XUV reflection gratings and other nano optical elements has been set up at BESSY II. The Plane Grating Monochromator beamline operated in collimated light c PGM is equipped with an SX700 monochromator, of which the blazed gratings 600 and 1200 lines mm 1 have been recently exchanged for new ones of improved performance produced in house. Over the operating range from 10 to 2000 eV this beamline has very high spectral purity achieved by i a four mirror arrangement of different coatings which can be inserted into t...