Progress in the realization of the Beam Expander Testing X-ray facility (BEaTriX) for testing ATHENA's SPO modules

The construction of the BEaTriX facility is ongoing at INAF/OAB. The facility will generate a broad (170 x 60 mm2), uniform and lowdivergent (1.5 arcsec HEW) X-ray beam within a small lab (~ 9 x 18m2, see Fig. 7), using an X-ray microfocus source, a paraboloidal mirror, a crystal monochromation system with simmetrically cut crystals, and an asymmetrically-cut crystal for beam expansion. The facility is designed to operate at 1.49 keV and 4.51 keV. These properties, in addition to the copious flux of the source (1011-1012 ph/sec/sterad), a moderate vacum level of 10-3 mbar, and a modular vacuum approach, will enable the testing of the Silicon Pore Optics modules of the ATHENA telescope at the rate of 3 MM/day, following production.