‘In-situ’ observation of dynamical diffraction by means of Medipix2 sensor crystal fulfilling Bragg condition

Abstract

Hybrid pixel detectors, with the X-ray conversion layer and the readout electronics realised in two separate semiconducting crystals, offer the unique possibility to observe effects of dynamical diffraction directly in a crystal sensor. The sensor can be used to Bragg diffract X-rays in transmission geometry and simultaneously to observe the wave fields generated inside the sensor through absorption thus producing signals in the pixel readout. A monochromatic beam of sufficiently high energy is used to obtain a large absorption length inside the sample. This allows to use a setup geometry with the narrow incident beam hitting from the side of the platelet-shaped sensor, parallel to the readout electronics, so that the whole Borrmann triangle can be observed inside the sample. We used a Medipix2 detector with a 700 μ m silicon sensor layer to observe diffraction in both transmission and reflection geometry.