X-ray Scattering from Random Rough Surfaces

Abstract

This paper presents a new method to model X-ray scattering on random rough surfaces. It combines the approaches we presented in two previous papers -- \zs\cite{zhao03} \& \pz\cite{zhao15}. An actual rough surface is (incompletely) described by its Power Spectral Density (PSD). For a given PSD, model surfaces with the same roughness as the actual surface are constructed by preserving the PSD amplitudes and assigning a random phase to each spectral component. Rays representing the incident wave are reflected from the model surface and projected onto a flat plane, which is the first order approximation of the model surface, as outgoing rays and corrected for phase delays. The projected outgoing rays are then corrected for wave densities and redistributed onto an uniform grid where the model surface is constructed. The scattering is then calculated using the Fourier Transform of the resulting distribution. This method provides the exact solutions for scattering in all directions, without small angle approximation. It is generally applicable to any wave scatterings on random rough surfaces and is not limited to small scattering angles. Examples are given for the Chandra X-ray Observatory optics. This method is also useful for the future generation X-ray astronomy missions.