ALBA-CELLS, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
Cosine Measurement Systems, Warmond, The Netherlands
ESA-ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands
PTB, Berlin, Germany
In this paper we present the newly built beamline MINERVA, an X-ray facility at the ALBA synchrotron. The beamline has been designed to support the development of the X ray observatory ATHENA (Advanced Telescope for High Energy Astrophysics). MINERVA will host the necessary metrology equipment to integrate the stacks produced by cosine in a mirror module (MM) and characterize their optical performances. The optical and mechanical design is based on the XPBF 2.0 from the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), at BESSY II already in use to this effect and its construction is meant to significantly augment the capability to produce MM. The development of MINERVA has addressed the need for improved technical specifications, overcome existing limitations and achieve enhanced mechanical performances. We describe the design, construction process and implementation of Minerva that lasted three years. Even though the beamline is still under a commissioning phase, we expose tests and analysis that have been recently performed, remarking the improvements accomplished and the challenges to overcome, in order to reach the operational readiness for the mirror modules mass production.
