Single order x-ray diffraction with binary sinusoidal transmission grating

All existing x-ray dispersive devices including crystals, multilayers and diffraction gratings generate spectra in multiple orders. In this letter the authors describe how an axis symmetrically distributed sinusoidal-shaped aperture with binary transmittance values can be used to disperse x rays and with a superior diffraction pattern where, along its symmetry axis, all higher-order diffractions can be effectively suppressed. Hence this sophisticated dispersive element generates pure soft x-ray spectra in the first diffraction order, free from interference from higher diffraction orders.