Workshop on X-ray Detectors for Synchrotron Radiation

On 8–9 March 2004, a number of international experts gathered together in Chester, the home of the IUCr, to discuss the current status of X-ray detectors for synchrotron radiation and to draw up a road map for the development of detectors and associated technologies so that the ever-increasing brilliance of synchrotron radiation sources can be utilized. Dr Peter Siddons reviewed the current status in the USA. He reported that, despite a request and subsequent submission of a detector road map to the Department of Energy, funds have not yet come forward. However, significant funding is expected. Two detector proposals have recently been funded by the NIH including the development of pixel detectors. Christian Broennimann reviewed the detector development in Europe with particular emphasis on the efforts at the Swiss Light Source (SLS). The work at the SLS has resulted in two solid-state pixel detector systems, a one-dimensional high-resolution diffraction detector and a two-dimensional photon-counting detector for protein crystallography. Data were shown where most of the diffraction was in a single pixel. The Pilatus detector (the largest pixel detector array for synchrotron radiation), which has relied on high-quality bump bonding (a unique local strength), has demonstrated a high quality of data. William Helsby reviewed the current UK strengths in synchrotron radiation detectors. The C-Train/XPRESS for XAFS and RAPID wire chambers for small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering were highlighted. These reviews were followed by breakout groups with a detailed recommendation for a detector research and development road map. A common theme which emerged was that there is an urgent need for international cooperation among the different synchrotron radiation centres so that resources and expertise can be pooled to make a step change necessary to match the detectors performance with the sources development.