X-Ray Optics for Synchrotron Radiation

This paper presents the main optical devices used to prepare a beam from X-ray synchrotron source: monochromators, flat or curved in order to intercept a larger angular divergence at the sample, mirrors and, finally, optics for polarized X-ray experiments. Since X-ray optics is based either on total reflection or on diffraction by perfect crystals, the basic fundamental results of X-ray dynamical theory, which are necessary to understand the reasons why one device should be chosen rather than the other, are also presented.