A monolithic Fresnel bimirror for hard X-rays and its application for coherence measurements.

Experiments using a simple X-ray interferometer to measure the degree of spatial coherence of hard X-rays are reported. A monolithic Fresnel bimirror is used at small incidence angles to investigate synchrotron radiation in the energy interval 5-50 keV with monochromatic and white beam. The experimental set-up was equivalent to a Young's double-slit experiment for hard X-rays with slit dimensions in the micrometre range. From the high-contrast interference pattern the degree of coherence was determined.