6533b86cfe1ef96bd12c81ea

RESEARCH PRODUCT

The X-ray Integral Field Unit (X-IFU) for Athena

Roland H. Den HartogHenk Van WeersFlavio GattiPhilippe PeilleJan-willem Den HerderMat PageEtienne RenotteRichard WillingaleR. ClédassouXavier BarconsMonique ArnaudMarco BarberaLuigi PiroLuca ValenzianoGuido TorrioliJoern WilmsLourdes FàbregaC. PigotEtienne PointecouteauL. RaveraMaría Teresa CeballosL. GenoletJan Van Der KuurEnrico BozzoHiroki AkamatsuDidier BarretP. GuttridgeChristophe CaraJose Miguel Mas-hesseJelle De PlaaLionel DubandClaudio MacculiChristian SchmidLuciano GottardiStéphane PaltaniSimone LottiGrégor RauwFrançois Pajot

subject

PhysicsCosmic VisionEquipment and servicesSpectrometerSpectral resolutionSpectrometersX-ray opticsbusiness.industrySensorsVisionDetectorAstrophysics::Instrumentation and Methods for AstrophysicsField of viewOpticsCardinal pointParticlesSettore FIS/05 - Astronomia E AstrofisicaX-raysImaging systemsAngular resolutionSpectral resolutionElectronicsbusinessImage resolution

description

Athena is designed to implement the Hot and Energetic Universe science theme selected by the European Space Agency for the second large mission of its Cosmic Vision program. The Athena science payload consists of a large aperture high angular resolution X-ray optics (2 m2 at 1 keV) and twelve meters away, two interchangeable focal plane instruments: the X-ray Integral Field Unit (X-IFU) and the Wide Field Imager. The X-IFU is a cryogenic X-ray spectrometer, based on a large array of Transition Edge Sensors (TES), oering 2.5 eV spectral resolution, with approximately 5" pixels, over a field of view of 5' in diameter. In this paper, we present the X-IFU detector and readout electronics principles, some elements of the current design for the focal plane assembly and the cooling chain. We describe the current performance estimates, in terms of spectral resolution, effective area, particle background rejection and count rate capability. Finally, we emphasize on the technology developments necessary to meet the demanding requirements of the X-IFU, both for the sensor, readout electronics and cooling chain.

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2014-07-24
10.1117/12.2055884http://hdl.handle.net/10447/100542