The birth of the X-ray refractive lens

In the X-ray region, no optics based on the principle of refraction existed since the discovery of the X-rays by Röentgen in November 1985, although mirrors and zone-plates that use the principle of reflection and diffraction have been employed. The idea of a practical X-ray refractive lens was first disclosed in February 1994, i.e., just one year before the centenary of the discovery of X-rays. The present paper reviews why the X-ray lens did not appear for so many years, and how the design was born. The paper also discusses technologies to be developed for high performance X-ray lenses, and advantages of refractive X-ray lenses over other X-ray optics.