Abstract
Detectors operated in single-photon counting mode have radically transformed basic research at synchrotron light sources since 2006. Hybrid photon counting (HPC) pixel detectors proved to be a disruptive technology for X-ray diffraction applications in the energy range from 2 to 30 keV. The main reason for this success is the accurate determination of scattering and diffraction patterns at the level of individual photons over an extremely high dynamic range.
The technology of photon counting detectors is based on segmented semiconductor sensors, which detect X-rays directly and guarantee very high stability and simple operation at room temperature. The sensors are coupled to application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). Based on modern CMOS technology, these ASICs process the electrical signal pulses from the sensor. The implementation of energy thresholds gives counting detectors the unique capability to determine the number of photons in a specific energy range for very high local and global count rates. The digital detection and processing avoid any readout noise and permit frame rates in the range of several thousand images per second. Combining these features in one device led to a transition from CCD-based detector systems to HPC detectors for applications like protein crystallography, small-angle scattering, and surface and powder diffraction and offers new opportunities in time-resolved experiments.
This article covers the technology of HPC detectors and their usage at synchrotrons. It describes the basic principles of the sensor readout ASIC and interconnection technology and highlights the properties of the detectors. In addition details about data correction procedures are given.
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Brönnimann, C., TrĂ¼b, P. (2018). Hybrid Pixel Photon Counting X-Ray Detectors for Synchrotron Radiation. In: Jaeschke, E., Khan, S., Schneider, J., Hastings, J. (eds) Synchrotron Light Sources and Free-Electron Lasers. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-04507-8_36-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-04507-8_36-2
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Latest
Hybrid Pixel Photon Counting X-Ray Detectors for Synchrotron Radiation- Published:
- 18 September 2018
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-04507-8_36-2
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Hybrid Pixel Photon Counting X-Ray Detectors for Synchrotron Radiation- Published:
- 25 February 2015
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-04507-8_36-1