PRESSURE-ENDURING SOFT-X-RAY WINDOWS - PREFACE

The present study described in this thesis is for the main part accomp lished to provide the Spectrum-X-Gamma and SAX satellites with large-a rea soft-X-ray entrance windows. The realization of the windows was in itiated by Outokumpu Instruments (currently Metorex International) wit hout any historical burden and it included both the formulation of win dow concepts, structural design, materials selection, and the developm ent of the fabrication processes. Additionally, part of the work to de velop auxiliary coatings for ultra thin small-sized windows is present ed. This work was accomplished at various projects funded by the Techn ology Development Centre, Outokumpu Instruments, and ESTEC, European S pace Research and Technology Centre of European Space Agency. The work was carried out at VTT Electronics, Technical Research Centre of Finl and, jointly with Outokumpu Instruments. I am indebted to my colleague s at Metorex, Veli-Pekka Viitanen, Seppo Nenonen, and Panu Jalas, for their succeeding invaluable contribution to this work and for providin g an irreplaceable opportunity for discussions at the various stages o f the window realization. Thanks are also due to Dr. Heikki Sipila and Veikko Kamarainen at Metorex, and Dr. Jouko Kurki currently at Nokia Cable for their positive attitude during the long development work and permissive publishing policy thus making this thesis possible. The wh ole thin film group at VTT Electronics led by Illcka Suni deserves my warm thanks for the inspiring working atmosphere, constant help and gu idance in the field of thin film technology. Especially, my sincerest appreciation belongs to Meeri Partanen for her ambitious attitude in t he frequently quite tedious window fabrication, I would like to expres s my gratitude to Prof. Jouni Heleskivi, head of Electronic Materials and Components at VTT Electronics, and Prof. Pekka Hautojarvi, the sup ervisor of my graduate studies, for their interest in my work. I want to acknowledge the funding for the writing of the thesis by VTT Electr onics and by Foundation for Promotion of Technology. I also thank Kaij a Siitari and Veli-Pekka Viitanen for revising the language of the man uscript and so protecting the reader from my abysmal abuse of the Engl ish language. Additionally, special thanks go to my friends in distinc t forums for providing fun and breaks to the work. I wish to regard vo calists, rubber-ball squashers, the club of pedantic tinkers, and thos e fond of playing in hydraulics and with other waves. Finally, I want to convey my warmest thanks to my spouse Arja for her loving support a nd patience, and for all the feline companions.