Advanced simulations of x-ray beam propagation through CRL transfocators using ray-tracing and wavefront propagation methods

Compound refractive lenses (CRL) are widely used to manipulate synchrotron radiation beams. Accurate modelling of X-ray beam propagation through individual lenses and through "transfocators" composed of a large number of CRLs is of high importance, since it allows for comprehensive optimization of X-ray beamline designs for particular user experiments.

In this work we used the newly developed McXtrace ray-tracing package and the SRW wave-optics code to simulate the beam propagation of X-ray undulator radiation through such a "transfocator" as implemented at ID- 11 at ESRF. By applying two complementary simulation methods, we were able to obtain comparable results (e.g. the beam's focused properties) and also to provide a complete description of X-ray beam propagation through the CRLs and other optical components.

However, some discrepancies between the results acquired by both methods (e.g. broader monochromatization degree obtained with the McXtrace code) brought a meaningful insight into further development strategies for the McXtrace package.