Energy response of the x-ray imaging spectrometer (XIS) on Suzaku

Abstract

The X-ray Imaging Spectrometer on the Suzaku satellite consists three front-illuminated (FI) and one back-illuminated (BI) CCD cameras. Using ground calibration data taken at Kyoto University and Osaka University, we obtained the energy response of the XIS, which consists of at least six components: 1. a main peak, 2. a sub peak, 3. a triangle component, 4. a Si escape, 5. a Si line, and 6. a constant component. The relation between the energy and the pulse height was also estimated, which is called as a gain. The relation cannot be represented with a single linear function. Then we divided the gain into two parts at the Si edge (1.839 keV) and each part can be described with a single linear function. Thus there is a discontinuity at 1.839 keV in the XIS gain. We have monitored the variation of the gain and energy resolution in orbit by observing the calibration source of 55Fe illuminating two corners of each CCD.