Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A method for characterizing spectrometric properties of bent crystal comprising:a) positioning a bent crystal that is suitable to image selected emission spectra and reflect characteristic x-ray emission spectra of a target substance disposed on a Rowland circle in the path of x-ray emissions from the target substance wherein a reflective surface of the bent crystal is disposed at approximately the Bragg angle to the path;b) exciting the target substance sufficient to generate x-ray emissions to impinge upon the bent crystal; thereuponc) capturing and recording intensity of a first preselected known narrow spectrum of the x-ray emissions as diverted by the bent crystal at an off-angle to direct reflections of x-ray emission;d) incrementally rotating the bent crystal about its reflective center of rotation;e) repeating steps b), c) and d) to build a rocking curve of x-ray reflections off-angle to the direct reflection angle;f) using the first preselected known narrow spectrum to make a rocking curve at angles far from normal incidence that characterizes the crystal at a second preselected known narrow spectrum of a lower energy level, and characterized by a larger Bragg angle, for use as an imaging optic at the second preselected known narrow spectrum at angles close to normal incidence. 2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the exciting step is produced by laser irradiation of a supersonic argon gas jet and the x-ray emissions are from plasma produced by the laser irradiation. 3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the bent crystal is disposed on a rotatable mount. 4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the selected bent crystal is quartz. 5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the bent crystal is spherically bent. 6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the selected crystal is bent at a radius of curvature equal to twice the radius of the Rowland circle in the Johann configuration. 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first preselected known narrow spectrum is of the He-alpha emission characteristic. 8. The method of claim 7 wherein the second preselected known narrow spectrum is of the K-alpha emission characteristic. 9. A method for characterizing spectrometric properties of bent crystal comprising:a) positioning a spherically bent crystal that is suitable to image K-alpha and reflect He-alpha characteristic x-ray emission spectra of a target substance disposed on a rotatable mount on a Rowland circle in the path of x-ray emissions from the target substance wherein a reflective surface of the spherically bent crystal is disposed at approximately the Bragg angle to the path;b) exciting the target substance sufficient to generate x-ray emissions to impinge upon the spherically bent crystal; thereuponc) capturing and recording intensity of He-alpha x-ray emissions as diverted by the spherically bent crystal at an off-angle to direct x-ray emission reflections;d) incrementally rotating the spherically bent crystal about its reflective center of rotation;e) repeating steps b), c) and d) to build a rocking curve of x-ray reflections off-angle to the direct x-ray emission reflections;f) using the He-alpha x-ray emission spectrum to make a rocking curve at angles far from normal incidence that characterizes the crystal at the K-alpha x-ray emission spectrum of a lower energy level, and characterized by a larger Bragg angle, for use as an imaging optic at the K-alpha x-ray emission spectrum at angles close to normal incidence wherein the Bragg angles are between approximately 80 degrees and 89 degrees. 10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the bent crystal is quartz. 11. The method according to claim 9 wherein the exciting step is produced by laser irradiation of a supersonic argon gas jet and the x-ray emissions are from plasma produced by the laser irradiation. 12. The method according to claim 9 wherein the spherically bent crystal is bent at a radius of curvature equal to twice the radius of the Rowland circle.