Next Generation X-ray Imaging Surveys

The launch of Chandra more than twenty years ago marked a turning point in our understanding of the deep X-ray Universe. The 0.1 deg2 Chandra Deep Field South (CDFS), the 2 deg2 Chandra-COSMOS Legacy, and the other Chandra deep fields have probed the physics and evolution of distant supermassive black holes to a level that is as yet unsurpassed. Chandra’s sub-arcsec angular resolution is at the basis of its exquisite sensitivity. Yet, its low collecting area and limited field of view allowed deep X-ray exploration of small sky areas only. Substantial advances in the development of lightweight X-ray optics with large photon-collecting area, large field of view, and sharp angular resolution are required to overcome Chandra’s limits and bring the discovery space of deep X-ray surveys to the equivalent of hundreds-to-thousands of Chandra deep fields. Weheredescribe our contribution to the development of the leading technology for building lightweight optics with sharp angular resolution and to the definition of the survey science for the next-generation X-ray imaging facilities STAR-X and AXIS.