A high-rate gaseous area detector for x-ray diffraction applications

Abstract

A new photon-counting area detector, based on parallel-plate gas amplification with a resistive anode and remote readout electrode is described. The detector is sealed and has sensitive area of 14x14 cm². The detector is unique in its ability to achieve high gain at high counting rates. A local counting rate >10e⁵ counts/mm2-sec has been achieved at a gain of 10⁵ in a radiation-hard, non-polymerizing gas mixture. The global readout rate is limited by the delay line and electronics to <10⁶ counts/sec but more sophisticated readout schemes should allow this rate to be increased by more than an order of magnitude. The operating characteristics of the detector are described and preliminary x-ray diffraction data are presented.