Patent ID: 8575577

Claim:
A method of fabricating a neutron mirror for use in an optical device for focusing a quasi-parallel beam of incident neutrons, said optical device including a source for said quasi-parallel beam of incident neutrons, comprising the steps of: a) fabricating a mandrel of the required shape; b) polishing said mandrel; c) forming a material onto said mandrel to form said mirror; said mirror being a conical section of revolution mirror including a figured inlet section at one end transitioning to a figured outlet section at its other end; the figures of said sections being different; said figures being described by equations selected from the group consisting of the second order of magnitude and approximations of the second order of magnitude; and d) separating said mirror from said mandrel: whereby, when said quasi-parallel beam of neutrons from said source is incident on said figured inlet section, a focal spot is spaced apart from said figured outlet section.