Characterization of a high resolution transmission grating

Three 5000 lines/mm gold transmission gratings have been tested with the radiation from the Super-ACO synchrotron in the range 250 eV < E < 850 eV. Typical results for the spectral dependence of the grating efficiency at different diffraction orders are presented. This grating theoretically built to have no second order exhibits second order as high as 15-20% of first order. The very thin 5000 L/mm gratings are supported by a larger grid which perturbs the recorded data by separating each order in three peaks. Fraunhofer diffraction of the support grid has been modelled and can explain this effect. The high resolution gratings were used to measure the harmonics of the beamline monochromator grating (550 L/mm) and to measure the emission and absorption of laser-produced plasmas in the XUV range.