0000000000591037
AUTHOR
Lorenzo Natalucci
The Cryogenic AntiCoincidence Detector Project for ATHENA+: An Overview Up to the Present Status
ATHENA+ is a space mission proposal for the next ESA L2-L3 slot. One of the focal plane instruments is the X-ray integral field unit (X-IFU) working in the energy range 0.3–10 keV. It is a multi-array based on TES detectors aimed at characterizing faint or diffuse sources (e.g. WHIM or galaxy outskirt). The X-IFU will be able to achieve the required sensitivity if a low background is guaranteed. The studies performed by GEANT4 simulations depict a scenario where the use of an active anticoincidence (AC) is mandatory to reduce the background expected in L2 orbit down to the goal level of 0.005 cts cm $$^{-2}$$ s $$^{-1}$$ keV $$^{-1}$$ . This is possible using a cryogenic anticoincidence (…
A Hard Look at the Neutron Stars and Accretion Disks in 4U 1636-53, GX 17+2, and 4U 1705-44 with NuStar
We present $\emph{NuSTAR}$ observations of neutron star (NS) low-mass X-ray binaries: 4U 1636-53, GX 17+2, and 4U 1705-44. We observed 4U 1636-53 in the hard state, with an Eddington fraction, $F_{\mathrm{Edd}}$, of 0.01; GX 17+2 and 4U 1705-44 were in the soft state with fractions of 0.57 and 0.10, respectively. Each spectrum shows evidence for a relativistically broadened Fe K$_{\alpha}$ line. Through accretion disk reflection modeling, we constrain the radius of the inner disk in 4U 1636-53 to be $R_{in}=1.03\pm0.03$ ISCO (innermost stable circular orbit) assuming a dimensionless spin parameter $a_{*}=cJ/GM^{2}=0.0$, and $R_{in}=1.08\pm0.06$ ISCO for $a_{*}=0.3$ (errors quoted at 1 $\sig…
The x-ray microcalorimeter spectrometer onboard Athena
Trabajo presentado a la conferencia: "Space Telescopes and Instrumentation: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray" celebrada en Amsterdam (Holanda) el 1 de julio de 2012.-- et al.
The TES-based cryogenic anticoincidence detector for IXO: First results from large area prototypes
The technique which combines high resolution spectroscopy with imaging capability is a powerful tool to extract fundamental information in X-ray Astrophysics and Cosmology. TES (Transition Edge Sensors)-based microcalorimeters match at best the requirements for doing fine spectroscopy and imaging of both bright (high count rate) and faint (poor signal-to-noise ratio) sources. For this reason they are considered among the most promising detectors for the next high energy space missions and are being developed for use on the focal plane of the IXO (International X-ray Observatory) mission. In order to achieve the required signal-to-noise ratio for faint or diffuse sources it is necessary to r…
The Cryogenic AntiCoincidence detector for ATHENA: the progress towards the final pixel design
“The Hot and Energetic Universe” is the scientific theme approved by the ESA SPC for a Large mission to be flown in the next ESA slot (2028th) timeframe. ATHENA is a space mission proposal tailored on this scientific theme. It will be the first X-ray mission able to perform the so-called “Integral field spectroscopy”, by coupling a high-resolution spectrometer, the X-ray Integral Field Unit (X-IFU), to a high performance optics so providing detailed images of its field of view (5’ in diameter) with an angular resolution of 5” and fine energy-spectra (2.5eV@E<7keV). The X-IFU is a kilo-pixel array based on TES (Transition Edge Sensor) microcalorimeters providing high resolution spectroscopy …
The Cryogenic Anticoincidence Detector for ATHENA-XMS
The TES cryogenic detectors, due to their high spectral resolution and imaging capability in the soft X-ray domain, are the reference devices for the next proposed space missions whose aims are to characterize the spectra of faint or diffuse sources. ATHENA is the re-scoped IXO mission, and one of its focal plane instrument is the X-ray Microcalorimeter Spectrometer (XMS) working in the energy range 0.3-10 keV. XMS will be able to achieve the proposed scientific goals if a background lower than 0.02 cts/cm2/s/keV is guaranteed. The studies performed by GEANT4 simulations depict a scenario where it is mandatory to use an active Anti-Coincidence (AC) to reduce the expected background in the L…
The Athena X-ray Integral Field Unit: a consolidated design for the system requirement review of the preliminary definition phase
The Athena X-ray Integral Unit (X-IFU) is the high resolution X-ray spectrometer, studied since 2015 for flying in the mid-30s on the Athena space X-ray Observatory, a versatile observatory designed to address the Hot and Energetic Universe science theme, selected in November 2013 by the Survey Science Committee. Based on a large format array of Transition Edge Sensors (TES), it aims to provide spatially resolved X-ray spectroscopy, with a spectral resolution of 2.5 eV (up to 7 keV) over an hexagonal field of view of 5 arc minutes (equivalent diameter). The X-IFU entered its System Requirement Review (SRR) in June 2022, at about the same time when ESA called for an overall X-IFU redesign (i…
The cryogenic anticoincidence detector for ATHENA-XMS: preliminary results from the new prototype
ATHENA has been the re-scoped IXO mission, and one of the foreseen focal plane instrument was the X-ray Microcalorimeter Spectrometer (XMS) working in the energy range 0.3-10 keV, which was a kilo-pixel array based on TES (Transition Edge Sensor) detectors. The need of an anticoincidence (AC) detector is legitimated by the results performed with GEANT4 simulations about the impact of the non x-ray background onto XMS at L2 orbit (REQ. < 0.02 cts/cm2/s/keV). Our consortium has both developed and tested several samples, with increasing area, in order to match the large area of the XMS (64 mm2). Here we show the preliminary results from the last prototype. The results achieved in this work off…
Development of a 3D CZT detector prototype for Laue Lens telescope
We report on the development of a 3D position sensitive prototype suitable as focal plane detector for Laue lens telescope. The basic sensitive unit is a drift strip detector based on a CZT crystal, (similar to 19x8 mm(2) area, 2.4 mm thick), irradiated transversally to the electric field direction. The anode side is segmented in 64 strips, that divide the crystal in 8 independent sensor (pixel), each composed by one collecting strip and 7 (one in common) adjacent drift strips. The drift strips are biased by a voltage divider, whereas the anode strips are held at ground. Furthermore, the cathode is divided in 4 horizontal strips for the reconstruction of the third interaction position coord…
The ATHENA X-ray Integral Field Unit (X-IFU)
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2018, Austin, Texas, United States.