X-ray detectors for existing and future synchrotron radiation sources

Abstract

The research potential offered by synchrotron radiation sources is largely limited by lack of adequate detectors. This is to some extent true for existing synchrotron radiation sources while for third generation synchrotron radiation sources being developed this is a primary problem. New research areas in life, physical and material sciences demand new detectors suitable for time resolved high resolution imaging and with spectroscopic properties. This paper presents an overview of trends and recent achievements in advanced detector technologies developed over last decade for high energy perticle physics experiments. The detector requirements for instrumentation of synchrotron radiation experiments are discussed. The basic technologies of high-resolution position sensitive detectors, silicon strip detectors and hybrid pixel detectors are reviewed. Fundamental limitations and perspectives of these detector technologies are discussed.