FWHM Resolution Research Articles

Status of the HOLMES detector development

HOLMES is a new experiment to directly measure the neutrino mass with a sensitivity as low as 0.4eV. HOLMES will perform a calorimetric measurement of the energy released in the electron capture decay of 163Ho. HOLMES will deploy a large array of low temperature microcalorimeters with implanted 163Ho nuclei. HOLMES baseline detector is an array of 1000 microcalorimeters each with an implanted 163Ho activity of about 300 Bq, an energy resolution FWHM of about 1eV at the spectrum end-point (Q≈2.5 keV), and a time resolution of about 1μs. Matching these performances requires a careful optimization of all components, from the microcalorimeters to the signal processing algorithms. We outline here the project technical challenges and the present status of the development.

TESTING DARK MATTER HALO MODELS OF QUASARS WITH THERMAL SUNYAEV–ZELDOVICH EFFECT

A statistical analysis of stacked Compton$-y$ maps of quasar hosts with a median redshift of $1.5$ using Millennium Simulation is performed to address two issues, one on the feedback energy from quasars and the other on testing dark matter halo models for quasar hosts. On the first, we find that, at the resolution of FWHM=$10$ arcmin obtained by Planck data, the observed thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich (tSZ) effect can be entirely accounted for and explained by the thermal energy of halos sourced by gravitational collapse of halos, without a need to invoke additional, large energy sources, such as quasar or stellar feedback. Allowing for uncertainties of dust temperature in the calibration of observed Comton$-y$ maps, the maximum additional feedback energy is $\sim 25\%$ of that previously suggested. Second, we show that, with FWHM=$1$ arcmin beam, tSZ measurements will provide a potentially powerful test of quasar-hosting dark matter halo models, limited only by possible observational systematic uncertainties, not by statistical ones, even in the presence of possible quasar feedback.

The crystallography stations at the Alba synchrotron

Alba is a 3rd-generation 3 GeV synchrotron facility with an emittance of 4.6nm·rad which has been operational since 2011 and has recently started top-up operation. Photons in a broad energy range of 0.08-80 keV are served to seven beamlines dedicated to a large variety of scientific fields. The portfolio includes two beamlines, XALOC and MSPD, fully dedicated to X-ray crystallography. BL13-XALOC is currently the only macromolecular crystallography beamline. The end-station includes a high-accuracy single-axis diffractometer with a removable minikappa stage, a sample-mounting robot and a large-area, photon-counting detector. The beamline optics, fed by an in-vacuum undulator, deliver a tunable photon beam between 5.5 and 22 keV. The beam size at the sample position can be adjusted by defocusing the mirrors in a range of 50-300μm in the horizontal direction and 5.5-300μm in the vertical direction. Beamline BL04-MSPD, which is fed by a superconducting wiggler, has two in-line end-stations. The first station is devoted to high-pressure/microdiffraction. It offers a \( 15\times 15\) μm beam in the range 20-50 keV, particularly suited for powder diffraction studies requiring a very small beam, e.g. mapping of cultural heritage samples and high-pressures studies. The second station is dedicated to high-resolution/high-throughput powder diffraction. It covers the 8-50 keV range and includes a heavy-duty 3-circle diffractometer equipped with a 13-channel multianalyzer detector with high-angular resolution ( \( \Delta 2\theta=0.004^{\circ}\) FWHM) and a high-throughput, position-sensitive detector spanning \( 40^{\circ}\) in 2\( \theta\) range allowing millisecond data acquisitions.

Design and performance of a large area neutron sensitive anger camera

We describe the design and performance of a 157mm×157mm two dimensional neutron detector. The detector uses the Anger principle to determine the position of neutrons. We have verified FWHM resolution of <1.2mm with distortion <0.5mm on over 50 installed Anger Cameras. The performance of the detector is limited by the light yield of the scintillator, and it is estimated that the resolution of the current detector could be doubled with a brighter scintillator. Data collected from small (<1mm3) single crystal reference samples at the single crystal instrument TOPAZ provide results with low values of the refinement parameter Rw(F).

English

A HPGe detector and γ-ray multinuclide standard solution were used to get several data pairs of photon energy E and detector’s energy resolution FWHM. A series of graph of FWHM2 versus E was plotted to determine the detector’s Fano factor and pre-amplifier noise, which yielded the mean values of 0.123±0.003 and (7.448±0.011) × 10−1 keV, respectively. The Fano factor value agrees within 95% confident interval with the mostly quoted value of 0.13 for semiconductor detectors. The obtained preamplifier noise is in agreement with typical manufacturer’s specification.

NEW OBSERVATIONS OF THE SOLAR 0.5–5 KEV SOFT X-RAY SPECTRUM

The solar corona is orders of magnitude hotter than the underlying photosphere, but how the corona attains such high temperatures is still not understood. Soft X-ray (SXR) emission provides important diagnostics for thermal processes in the high-temperature corona, and is also an important driver of ionospheric dynamics at Earth. There is a crucial observational gap between ~0.2 and ~4 keV, outside the ranges of existing spectrometers. We present observations from a new SXR spectrometer, the Amptek X123-SDD, which measured the spatially-integrated solar spectral irradiance from ~0.5 to ~5 keV, with ~0.15 keV FWHM resolution, during sounding rocket flights on 2012 June 23 and 2013 October 21. These measurements show that the highly variable SXR emission is orders of magnitude greater than that during the deep minimum of 2009, even with only weak activity. The observed spectra show significant high-temperature (5-10 MK) emission and are well fit by simple power-law temperature distributions with indices of ~6, close to the predictions of nanoflare models of coronal heating. Observations during the more active 2013 flight indicate an enrichment of low first-ionization potential (FIP) elements of only ~1.6, below the usually-observed value of ~4, suggesting that abundance variations may be related to coronal heating processes. The XUV Photometer System Level 4 data product, a spectral irradiance model derived from integrated broadband measurements, significantly overestimates the spectra from both flights, suggesting a need for revision of its non-flare reference spectra, with important implications for studies of Earth ionospheric dynamics driven by solar SXRs.

A PET detector prototype based on digital SiPMs and GAGG scintillators

Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPM) are interesting light sensors for Positron Emission Tomography (PET). The detector signal of analog SiPMs is the total charge of all fired cells. Energy and time information have to be determined with dedicated readout electronics. Philips Digital Photon Counting has developed a SiPM with added electronics on cell level delivering a digital value of the time stamp and number of fired cells. These so called Digital Photon Counters (DPC) are fully digital devices. In this study, the feasibility of using DPCs in combination with LYSO (Lutetium Yttrium Oxyorthosilicate) and GAGG (Gadolinium Aluminum Gallium Garnet) scintillators for PET is tested. Each DPC module has 64 channels with 3.2 × 3.8775 mm2, comprising 3200 cells each. GAGG is a recently developed scintillator (Zeff = 54, 6.63 g cm−3, 520 nm peak emission, 46 000 photons MeV−1, 88 ns (92%) and 230 ns (8%) decay times, non-hygroscopic, chemically and mechanically stable). Individual crystals of 2 × 2 × 6 mm3 were coupled onto each DPC pixel. LYSO coupled to the DPC results in a coincidence time resolution (CTR) of 171 ps FWHM and an energy resolution of 12.6% FWHM at 511 keV. Using GAGG, coincidence timing is 310 ps FWHM and energy resolution is 8.5% FWHM. A PET detector prototype with 2 DPCs equipped with a GAGG array matching the pixel size (3.2 × 3.8775 × 8 mm3) was assembled. To emulate a ring of 10 modules, objects are rotated in the field of view. CTR of the PET is 619 ps and energy resolution is 9.2% FWHM. The iterative MLEM reconstruction is based on system matrices calculated with an analytical detector response function model. A phantom with rods of different diameters filled with 18F was used for tomographic tests.

A CaMoO4Crystal Low Temperature Detector for the AMoRE Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay Search

We report the development of a CaMoO4crystal low temperature detector for the AMoRE neutrinoless double beta decay(0νββ)search experiment. The prototype detector cell was composed of a 216 g CaMoO4crystal and a metallic magnetic calorimeter. An overground measurement demonstrated FWHM resolution of 6–11 keV for full absorption gamma peaks. Pulse shape discrimination was clearly demonstrated in the phonon signals, and 7.6 σof discrimination power was found for theαandβ/γseparation. The phonon signals showed rise-times of about 1 ms. It is expected that the relatively fast rise-time will increase the rejection efficiency of two-neutrino double beta decay pile-up events which can be one of the major background sources in0νββsearches.

STIC3 – Silicon Photomultiplier Timing Chip with picosecond resolution

The diagnostic of pancreas and prostate cancer is a challenging task due to the background noise coming from the closer organs. The EndoToFPET-US project aims to combine the synergy between metabolic and anatomical (ultrasound) image in order to improve the precision in the tumor localization. The goal of the project is to develop a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) system that provides a time-of-flight resolution of 200ps FWHM for improving the signal to noise ratio and further to improve the medical image quality. In order to achieve this purpose an ASIC has been designed for very high timing resolution in time-of-flight (ToF) applications. In this paper we present the ASIC performance and the first characterization measurements with the 64-channels prototype version (STiC3). Measurements are performed with LYSO scintillator crystal and a Multi Pixel Photon Counter (MPPC). Measurements with the chip show an analog-front-end stage jitter of 35ps for the first photo-electron equivalent charge and reach 18ps for the third photo-electron. Coincidence time resolution (CTR) of 240ps FWHM is measured with 3.1×3.1×15mm3 LYSO crystal and 50μm pixel pitch MPPC. Further optimization including the Time-to-Digital Converter (TDC) non-linearity corrections and setup fine tuning are ongoing for achieving the desired CTR of 200ps FWHM.

Development of a high resolution alpha spectrometer using a magnetic calorimeter

We have developed a high resolution alpha spectrometer with a magnetic calorimeter. The operating principle of the detector is the calorimetric measurement of the temperature increase from particle absorption in a gold foil absorber at milli-Kelvin temperatures. A magnetic calorimeter made of gold doped with erbium on a superconducting meander pickup coil was used to accurately measure the temperature change, thereby acting as an ultra-sensitive thermometer. The detector demonstrated 1.2keV FWHM equivalent resolution in alpha particle detection with an 241Am source. Many peaks were observed in the low-energy region from the absorption of low-energy X-rays, gamma rays, and conversion electrons. An energy resolution of 400eV FWHM was achieved for 60keV gamma rays that were measured with the alpha particles. Possible applications of such high resolution detectors are discussed.

Multiplexing strategies for monolithic crystal PET detector modules

To reduce the number of output channels and associated cost in PET detectors, strategies to multiplex the signal channels have been investigated by several researchers. This work aims to find an optimal multiplexing strategy for detector modules consisting of a monolithic LYSO scintillator coupled to a 64-channel PMT.We apply simulated multiplexing strategies to measured data from two continuous miniature crystal element (cMiCE) detector modules. The strategies tested include standard methods such as row column summation and its variants, as well as new data-driven methods involving the principal components of measured data and variants of those components. The detector positioning resolution and bias are measured for each multiplexing strategy and the results are compared.The mean FWHM over the entire detector was 1.23 mm for no multiplexing (64 channels). Using 16 principal component channels yielded a mean FWHM resolution of 1.21 mm, while traditional row/column summation (16 channels) yielded 1.28 mm. Using 8 principal component output channels resulted in a resolution of 1.30 mm.Using the principal components of the calibration data to guide the multiplexing scheme appears to be a viable method for reducing the number of output data channels. Further study is needed to determine if the depth-of-interaction resolution can be preserved with this multiplexing scheme.

Advances in Synchrotron XRPD for the characterization of pharmaceuticals

X-Ray Powder Diffraction (XRPD) directly provides structural and microstructural characterization of materials. Considered the gold standard method in the field of pharmaceutical powders for the identification of solid forms (i.e. polymorphs, solvates, hydrates, salts, co-crystals, amorphous), when combined with a synchrotron X-ray beam, XRPD becomes a truly mighty analytical tool for the characterization of pharmaceuticals. Ultra-high FWHM and d-spacing resolutions, accurate 2theta angle assignment, high signal-to-background and signal-to-noise ratios distinguish synchrotron XRPD patterns from conventional XRPD, whereas the combination of the synchrotron properties with new outstanding single-photon-counting detection systems drastically reduces the measurements times to milliseconds allowing in-situ study of the kinetic of transformations and radiation-damage-free high-resolution diffraction patterns. Advances in instrumentation, calibration and data collection procedures leading to detection limits of contaminating crystalline phases better than 0.05% wt% as well as subtle structural details are described.

Multilayer Fresnel zone plates for high energy radiation resolve 21 nm features at 1.2 keV.

X-ray microscopy is a successful technique with applications in several key fields. Fresnel zone plates (FZPs) have been the optical elements driving its success, especially in the soft X-ray range. However, focusing of hard X-rays via FZPs remains a challenge. It is demonstrated here, that two multilayer type FZPs, delivered from the same multilayer deposit, focus both hard and soft X-rays with high fidelity. The results prove that these lenses can achieve at least 21 nm half-pitch resolution at 1.2 keV demonstrated by direct imaging, and sub-30 nm FWHM (full-pitch) resolution at 7.9 keV, deduced from autocorrelation analysis. Reported FZPs had more than 10% diffraction efficiency near 1.5 keV.

Development of position-sensitive time-of-flight spectrometer for fission fragment research

A position-sensitive, high-resolution time-of-flight detector for fission fragments has been developed. The SPectrometer for Ion DEtermination in fission Research (SPIDER) is a 2E–2v spectrometer designed to measure the mass of light fission fragments to a single mass unit. The time pick-off detector pairs to be used in SPIDER have been tested with α-particles from 229Th and its decay chain and α-particles and spontaneous fission fragments from 252Cf. Each detector module is comprised of thin electron conversion foil, electrostatic mirror, microchannel plates, and delay-line anodes. Particle trajectories on the order of 700mm are determined accurately to within 0.7mm. Flight times were measured with 250ps resolution FWHM. Computed particle velocities are accurate to within 0.06mm/ns corresponding to a precision of 0.5%. An ionization chamber capable of 400keV energy resolution coupled with the velocity measurements described here will pave the way for modestly efficient measurements of light fission fragments with unit mass resolution.

Calibration measurements on the DEPFET Detectors for the MIXS instrument on BepiColombo

The Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer (MIXS) will be launched on board of the 5th ESA cornerstone mission BepiColombo. The two channel instrument MIXS is dedicated to the exploration of the elemental composition of the mercurian surface by imaging x-ray spectroscopy of the elemental fluorescence lines. One of the main scientific goals of MIXS is to provide spatially resolved elemental abundance maps of key rock-forming elements. MIXS will be the successor of the XRS instrument, which is currently orbiting Mercury on board of NASAs satellite MESSENGER. MIXS will provide unprecedented spectral and spatial resolution due to its innovative detector and optics concepts. The MIXS target energy band ranges from 0.5 to 7 keV and allows to directly access the Fe-L line at 0.7 keV, which was not accessible to previous missions. In addition, the high spectroscopic resolution of FWHM ≤ 200 eV at the reference energy of 1 keV after one year in Mercury orbit, allows to separate the x-ray fluorescence emission lines of important elements like Mg (1.25 keV) and Al (1.49 keV) without the need for any filter. The detectors for the energy and spatially resolved detection of x-rays for both channels are identical DEPFET (DEpleted P-channel FET) active pixel detectors. We report on the calibration of the MIXS flight and flight spare detector modules at the PTB (Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt) beamlines at the BESSY II synchrotron radiation facility. Each detector was calibrated at least at 10 discrete energies in the energy range from 0.5 to 10 keV. The excellent spectroscopic performance of all three detector modules was verified.

Detector system for the study of low energy heavy ion reactions using kinematic coincidence technique

The characteristics and performance of a new detector system developed for the study of low energy heavy ion binary reactions using the kinematic coincidence technique are presented. The detector system has been developed to carry out experiments such as multi-nucleon transfer reactions using the General Purpose Scattering Chamber (GPSC) facility at IUAC [1,2]. The detector system consists of a pair of two-dimensional position sensitive multi wire proportional counter (MWPC) and a ΔE−E gas ionization chamber. Both MWPC have an active area of 5×5cm2, and provide position signals in horizontal (X) and vertical (Y) plane, and timing signal for time of flight measurements. The main design feature of MWPC is the reduced wire pitch of 0.025in. (0.635mm) in all electrodes, giving uniform field and faster charge collection, and usage of 10μm diameter in anode frame which gives higher gains. The position resolution of the detectors was determined to be 0.45mm FWHM and time resolution was estimated to be 400ps FWHM. The detector could handle heavy ion count rates exceeding 100kHz without any break down. The timing and position signals of the detectors are used for kinematic coincidence measurements and subsequent extraction of their mass and angular distributions. The ionization chamber has a conventional transverse field geometry with segmented anode providing multiple ΔE signals for nuclear charge (Z) identification. This article describes systematic study of these detectors in terms of efficiency, count rate handling capability, time, position and energy resolution.

CONSTRAINTS ON TWO ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI IN THE MERGER REMNANT COSMOS J100043.15+020637.2

COSMOS J100043.15+020637.2 is a merger remnant at z = 0.36 with two optical nuclei, NW and SE, offset by 500 mas (2.5 kpc). Prior studies suggest two competing scenarios for these nuclei: (1) SE is an active galactic nucleus (AGN) lost from NW due to a gravitational-wave recoil. (2) NW and SE each contain an AGN, signaling a gravitational-slingshot recoil or inspiralling AGNs. We present new images from the Very Large Array (VLA) at a frequency nu = 9.0 GHz and a FWHM resolution theta = 320 mas (1.6 kpc), and the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) at nu = 1.52 GHz and theta = 15 mas (75 pc). The VLA imaging is sensitive to emission driven by AGNs and/or star formation, while the VLBA imaging is sensitive only to AGN-driven emission. No radio emission is detected at these frequencies. Folding in prior results, we find: (a) The properties of SE and its adjacent X-ray feature resemble those of the unobscured AGN in NGC 4151, albeit with a much higher narrow emission-line luminosity. (b) The properties of NW are consistent with it hosting a Compton-thick AGN that warms ambient dust, photoionizes narrow emission-line gas and is free-free absorbed by that gas. Finding (a) is consistent with scenarios (1) and (2). Finding (b) weakens the case for scenario (1) and strengthens the case for scenario (2). Follow-up observations are suggested.

Development of EndoTOFPET-US, a multi-modal endoscope for ultrasound and time of flight positron emission tomography

The EndoTOFPET-US project aims at delevoping a multi-modal imaging device that combines Ultrasound with Time-Of-Flight Positron Emission Tomography into an endoscopic imaging device. The goal is to obtain a coincidence time resolution of about 200 ps FWHM and sub-millimetric spatial resolution for the PET head, integrating the components in a very compact detector suitable for endoscopic use. The scanner will be exploited for the clinical test of new bio-markers especially targeted for prostate and pancreatic cancer as well as for diagnostic and surgical oncology. This paper focuses on the status of the Time-Of-Flight Positron Emission Tomograph under development for the EndoTOFPET-US project.

High Count-Rate Studies of Small-Pitch Transition-Edge Sensor X-ray Microcalorimeters

We are developing kilo-pixel arrays of small-pitch transition-edge sensors for high spectral-resolving, high count-rate applications in astrophysics and solar physics measurements. We have fabricated and tested pixels that are \(65\,\upmu \)m in size on a silicon substrate with an X-ray flux of \({\sim }100\) counts per second (cps) per pixel. The X-ray pulses were recorded and analyzed in various ways to obtain high throughput with good energy resolution. We have demonstrated 2.3 eV FWHM resolution with 99.6 % throughput for a 6-keV X-ray flux of 100 cps.

Determination of Nuclear Track Parameters for LR-115 Detector by Using of MATLAB Software Technique

The nuclear track detector parameters, such as nuclear track diameter D(μm ), number of track NT and area of track AT were determined by using MATLAB software technique for IR-115 detector irradiated by alpha particle from 241 Am source under 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5 Mev at etching time TB of 90, 120, 150 and 180 min. By using the image analysis of MATLAB software for nuclear track, the full width at half maximum FWHM and relative resolution R% were calculated for each energy of alpha particles. In this study, it was shown that increasing the alpha energy on the IR-115 detector leads to increased in etching time TB and the dropping of R% to minimum value, and then reach a stable value before dropping at values 1.5, 2.5 Mev and unstable at 3.5 Mev. Imaging analysis by MATLAB technique which used in this study reflect good and accurate results for nuclear track detector parameters and we recommend using this technique for the determination of these parameters.