Search results for "X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY"
showing 10 items of 93 documents
Laboratory astrophysics and microanalysis with NTD-germanium-based X-ray microcalorimeters
2000
With the ability to create cosmic plasma conditions in the laboratory it is possible to investigate the dependencies of key diagnostic X-ray lines on density, temperature, and excitation conditions that exist in astrophysical sources with X-ray optics and a high-resolution X-ray microcalorimeter. The same instrumentation can be coupled to scanning electron microscopes or X-ray fluorescence probes to analyze the elemental and chemical composition of electronic, biological, geological and particulate materials. We describe how our microcalorimeter and X-ray optics provide significantly improved capabilities for laboratory astrophysics and microanalysis.
X-ray spectroscopy of the high-mass X-ray binary 4U 1700-37
2004
We present the first results of a monitoring campaign of the high-mass X-ray binary system 4U 1700-37/HD 153919, carried out with XMM-Newton.We have observed the high-mass X-ray binary (HMXB) 4U 1700-37 with XMM-Newton at four orbital phases in February 2001. 4U 1700-37 is powered by the dense stellar wind of the O supergiant HD 153919. Numerous X-ray flares are observed with a typical duration, of the order of half an hour. We focus on three intervals in which the data are not affected by pile up: the eclipse, the eclipse egress and a low-flux part around orbital phase ϕ ~ 0.28.
Performance of a digital CdTe X-ray spectrometer in low and high counting rate environment
2010
Abstract The high performances of CdTe detectors for X-ray and gamma ray spectroscopy are already well known. Among the traditional semiconductor spectrometers, CdTe detectors show high detection efficiency and good room temperature performance and are well suited for the development of compact detection systems. In this work, we investigated the performance of a CdTe detector coupled with a custom digital pulse processing (DPP) system for X-ray spectroscopy. The DPP method, implemented on a PC platform, performs a pile-up inspection and a pulse height analysis of the preamplifier output pulses, digitized by a 14-bit, 100 MHz ADC. The spectroscopic results point out the excellent performanc…
Modeling the energy thermalization of X-ray photons in a microcalorimeter with superconducting absorber
2003
We present a modeling of the response of a microcalorimeter to the absorption of X-ray photons, based on the main microscopical processes responsible for the energy thermalization. In particular, we have modeled a microcalorimeter with superconducting tin absorber (350 micron x 350 micron x 7 micron) and neutron transmutation doped (NTD) germanium thermistor (75 micron x 50 micron x 150 micron). Such a detector, operated at 60 mK, is expected to achieve a spectral resolution as good as 1 eV FWHM in the soft X-ray energy range, based on the known sources of thermal and electronic noise. Nevertheless, the best spectral resolution measured in laboratory experimental tests is of about 5 eV FWHM…
High-precision x-ray spectroscopy of highly charged ions with microcalorimeters
2013
The precise determination of the energy of the Lyman α1 and α2 lines in hydrogen-like heavy ions provides a sensitive test of quantum electrodynamics in very strong Coulomb fields. To improve the experimental precision, the new detector concept of microcalorimeters is now exploited for such measurements. Such detectors consist of compensated-doped silicon thermistors and Pb or Sn absorbers to obtain high quantum efficiency in the energy range of 40–70 keV, where the Doppler-shifted Lyman lines are located. For the first time, a microcalorimeter was applied in an experiment to precisely determine the transition energy of the Lyman lines of lead ions at the experimental storage ring at GSI. T…
SphinX: A fast solar Photometer in X-rays
2008
The scientific goals and construction details of a new design, Polish X-ray spectrophotometer are given. It will be incorporated within the Russian TESIS X and EUV complex aboard the forthcoming CORO-NAS solar mission. SphinX (Solar Photometer in X-rays) will use PIN silicon detectors for high time resolution (0.01 s) measurements of the solar spectra of quiet and active corona in the range 0.5–15 keV. A new filter-fluorescence target concept will be employed to allow for a fast photometry of the solar X-ray flux variations in selected, well defined narrow spectral bands including the Fe XXVI and Fe XXV iron line groups.
Spectral broadening by quasiparticle pile-up in X-ray microcalorimeters with superconducting absorbers
2004
Long-living quasiparticles can pile-up in a superconducting absorber of an X-ray microcalorimeter when photons are detected at high count rate. These quasiparticles can give a non-negligible contribution to the total heat capacity of the detector thus affecting the pulse height spectrum of detected photons. We investigated this effect with numerical simulations and evaluated the resulting spectral broadening as a function of the photon absorption rate, and the heat capacity of the detector for a NTD germanium microcalorimeter with pure Sn absorber.
Spectral broadening by incomplete thermalization of the energy in X-ray microcalorimeters with superconducting absorber and NTD-Ge thermal sensor
2004
Abstract We present a model of the response of a cryogenic microcalorimeter with superconducting absorber and phonon sensitive thermal sensor to the absorption of X-ray photons. The model is based on the main microscopic processes responsible for the thermalization of the deposited energy. We use a system of rate equations to describe the energy downconversion in the superconductor and transport to the thermal sensor. The model is a tool to investigate the thermalization efficiency with respect to the device characteristics (i.e. absorber material, geometry), in order to optimize the performances of these detectors. As a first case study, we report results of simulations for a microcalorime…
Determination of the high-pressure crystal structure ofBaWO4andPbWO4
2006
We report the results of both angle-dispersive x-ray diffraction and x-ray absorption near-edge structure studies in $\mathrm{Ba}\mathrm{W}{\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ and $\mathrm{Pb}\mathrm{W}{\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ at pressures of up to $56\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{GPa}$ and $24\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{GPa}$, respectively. $\mathrm{Ba}\mathrm{W}{\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ is found to undergo a pressure-driven phase transition at $7.1\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{GPa}$ from the tetragonal scheelite structure (which is stable under normal conditions) to the monoclinic fergusonite structure whereas the same transition takes place in $\mathrm{Pb}\mathrm{W}{\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ at $9\phantom{\rule{0…
X-ray spectroscopy and dosimetry with a portable CdTe device.
2007
Abstract X-ray spectra and dosimetry information are very important for quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) in medical diagnostic X-ray systems. An accurate knowledge of the diagnostic X-ray spectra would improve the patient dose optimization, without compromising image information. In this work, we performed direct diagnostic X-ray spectra measurements with a portable device, based on a CdTe solid-state detector. The portable device is able to directly measure X-ray spectra at high photon fluence rates, as typical of clinical radiography. We investigated on the spectral performances of the system in the mammographic energy range (up to ∼40 keV). Good system response to monoener…