Gamma-ray channeling in layered structures

Periodic variations of the refractive index in perfect crystals or similarly layered structures constrain gamma rays with small grazing angles to generally move parallel to the planes. This channeling process is similar to the dynamical diffraction of gamma rays transmitted through crystals (Laue diffraction), though it affects a broader range of angles. Gamma-ray channeling in tailor-made layered structures may be a useful mechanism for developing gamma-ray optics for astronomy, medical, and other applications. We constructed an experiment to measure the effect of this gamma-ray channeling method using a tailor-made layered structure of gold-palladium and poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) plastic. We report progress toward results using 122 keV gamma rays to verify whether this technique is viable and can be used to develop gamma-ray concentrating instruments