![](\"http:\/\/www.esa.int\/var\/esa\/storage\/images\/esa_multimedia\/videos\/2016\/12\/eric_wille_catching_x-rays_in_stacked_silicon\/16579218-1-eng-GB\/Eric_Wille_Catching_X-rays_in_stacked_silicon_small.png\")
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\nESA optics engineer Eric Wille explains the origin of silicon pore optics, the new optical technology underpinning Europe\u2019s Athena space observatory to observe the hot, high-energy cosmos. Polishing and stacking together silicon wafers \u2013 normally used to manufacture integrated circuits \u2013 allows the focusing of X-rays to see far further into space. ESA shares the patent for this technology with Cosine Research<\/a>, the Dutch company currently developing it The mission launch is 12 years away, but work von preparing its silicon pore optics module is already well underway.\n<\/p>\n \nFor more information, click here<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \nESA optics engineer Eric Wille explains the origin of silicon pore optics, the new optical technology underpinning Europe’s Athena space observatory to observe the hot, high-energy cosmos. Polishing and stacking together silicon wafers – normally used to manufacture integrated circuits – allows the focusing of X-rays to see far further into space. ESA shares the patent for this technology with Cosine Research<\/a>, the Dutch company currently developing it The mission launch is 12 years away, but work von preparing its silicon pore optics module is already well underway.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n