Patent ID: 7443956

Claim:
A system to generate x-rays by Compton backscattering, comprising: an electron storage ring guiding electrons through an interaction point disposed along a portion of said electron storage ring; and an optical system generating photon pulses coupled to said interaction point, the optical system including an optical resonator having a mirror reflective to said photon pulses and transmissive to x-rays, the mirror including: a mirror body portion configured to provide mechanical support to a mirror surface, the mirror surface being continuous throughout an entire region encompassed by a first diameter and the mirror body portion having an interior region of reduced thickness within a second diameter so that the mirror body portion is at least partially transmissive to x-rays, the second diameter being less than the first diameter; an optically reflective coating deposited on said mirror surface, said optically reflective coating being at least partially transmissive to x-rays; and the mirror being reflective to light throughout the entire region of the mirror surface encompassed by the first diameter inclusive of the portion of the mirror surface within the second diameter, a portion of the mirror within the second diameter further being an x-ray aperture for transmission of x-rays through the mirror.