Free-electron-driven X-ray caustics from strained van der Waals materials

Free-electron-driven X-ray caustics from strained van der Waals materials | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Free-electron-driven X-ray caustics from strained van der Waals materials Xihang Shi, Michael Shentcis, Yaniv Kurman, Liang Jie Wong, F. Javier Garcia de Abajo, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-1297215/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Tunable nanoscale shaping of X-ray waves remains as an open challenge of critical importance for applications in high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy and imaging. In contrast to this high photon energy regime, shaping of light waves in the visible and infrared regimes is routinely undertaken in a vast range of applications by means of abundantly available optical components. However, analogous optical elements are scarcer for X-rays. Here, we propose a new paradigm based on van der Waals (vdW) materials for shaping X-ray waves directly at the source. By inducing strain and bending on vdW materials, we control their interaction with free electrons in a manner that tunes the emission of X-rays and forms caustic X-ray beams. The geometry of the vdW material alters the caustic beam properties, including its focal length, spot size, and diffraction-free length. The ability to integrate X-ray shaping into the electron-driven emission process bypasses the efficiency limits of current optical techniques in this spectral regime. Looking forward, by shaping X-ray wave interference at the atomic scale we open new horizons in high-resolution X-ray science. Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Supplementary Files suppFreeelectrondrivenXraycausticsfromstrainedvanderWaalsmaterials.pdf Supplementary Material Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-1297215","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":84599974,"identity":"ce3ade1d-f22f-487a-9af0-925aad2399b1","order_by":0,"name":"Xihang Shi","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Technion – Israel Institute of Technology","correspondingAuthor":false,"submittingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Xihang","middleName":"","lastName":"Shi","suffix":""},{"id":84599975,"identity":"e352fd46-5873-4182-ac4c-653025699a50","order_by":1,"name":"Michael Shentcis","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Technion – Israel Institute of Technology","correspondingAuthor":false,"submittingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Michael","middleName":"","lastName":"Shentcis","suffix":""},{"id":84599976,"identity":"6add06b0-eacf-42b7-8a91-5460e8875a5b","order_by":2,"name":"Yaniv Kurman","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Technion - Israel Institute of Technology","correspondingAuthor":false,"submittingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yaniv","middleName":"","lastName":"Kurman","suffix":""},{"id":84599977,"identity":"75080967-024e-4ae2-8da5-de0efee3dff1","order_by":3,"name":"Liang Jie Wong","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9601-9456","institution":"Nanyang Technological University","correspondingAuthor":false,"submittingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Liang","middleName":"Jie","lastName":"Wong","suffix":""},{"id":84599978,"identity":"a58f2cb0-ff2e-4b38-b464-6015e43f4c2c","order_by":4,"name":"F. 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