0000000000482672
AUTHOR
Elena Magnano
showing 4 related works from this author
Carbon nanotubes thin filters for x-ray detectors in space
2022
In this paper, we present the first results from an investigation performed on nanometric thin pellicles based on carbon nanotubes (CNT) of potential interest for manufacturing large area optical blocking filters to protect soft X-ray detectors in astrophysics space missions. In order to evaluate the effective capability of such materials to block UV/VIS/IR radiation, while being highly transparent in the soft X-rays and strong enough to withstand the severe launch stresses, we have performed a suite of characterization measurements. These include: UV/VIS/IR and X-ray absorption spectroscopy, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy on bare and Al coated small self-…
Surface investigation and aluminum oxide estimation on test filters for the ATHENA X-IFU and WFI detectors
2016
The ATHENA mission provides the demanded capabilities to address the ESA science theme "Hot and Energetic Universe". Two complementary instruments are foreseen: the X-IFU (X-ray Integral Field Unit) and WFI (Wide Field Imager). Both the instruments require filters to avoid that the IR radiation heats the X-IFU cryogenic detector and to protect the WFI detector from UV photons. Previous experience on XMM filters recommends to employ bilayer membrane consisting of aluminum deposited on polyimide. In this work, we use the X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) to quantify the native aluminum oxide thickness that affects the spectral properties of the filter. The estimation of the oxide thickne…
A Temperature-Dependent X-Ray Absorption Characterization of Test Filters for the ATHENA Mission X-IFU Instrument
2018
In order to work properly, the X-ray Integral Field Unit of the ATHENA mission requires a set of thermal filters that block the infrared radiation, preventing it to reach the detector. Each filter will be mounted and thermally anchored onto a shield of the multistage cryostat and will be kept at the specific temperature of the stage. On the other hand, the filters partially absorb X-rays, and their transmittance has to be carefully characterized. The effect of temperature on the absorption edges of the elements that make up the filters has not been investigated yet. Here, we report the results of a preliminary run on the optical transmission data around the edges of C, N, and O at different…
Temperature effects on the performances of the ATHENA X-IFU thermal filters
2016
The X-Ray Integral Field Unit (X-IFU) detector on-board ATHENA is an array of TES micro-calorimeters that will operate at ~50 mK. In the current investigated design, five thermal filters (TF) will be mounted on the cryostat shields to attenuate IR radiative load and avoid energy resolution degradation due to photon shot noise. Each filter consists of a thin polyimide film (~50 nm thick) coated with aluminum (~30 nm thick). Since the TF operate at different temperatures in the range 0.05-300 K, it is relevant to study how temperature affects their mechanical/optical performances (e.g. near edge absorption fine structures of the atomic elements in the filter material). Such results are crucia…