Introduction to the Special Issue on Detectors

Silicon drift and pixel devices for X-ray imaging and spectroscopy

Starting from the basic photon detection process in semiconductors, the function, principles and properties of sophisticated silicon detectors are discussed.

Analog pixel array detectors

Various integrating pixel array detectors are described for time-resolved X-ray experiments.

The PILATUS 1M detector

The PILATUS 1M detector is a hybrid pixel array detector with over one million pixels operating in single photon counting mode. Crystallographic experiments were performed with the detector and a refined electron density map from a biological crystal could be demonstrated.

Silicon avalanche photodiodes for direct detection of X-rays

Fast X-ray detection with silicon avalanche photodiodes is reviewed, including discussion of high-rate behavior, time resolution and pulse-height distributions. Tables comparing different devices and array devices are included, and several devices, including arrays, are discussed in detail, as well as one package system.

Semiconductor materials and radiation detection

The current progress and limitations of using compound semiconductor materials as radiation detection media are reviewed.

CVD diamond-based semi-transparent beam-position monitors for synchrotron beamlines: preliminary studies and device developments at CEA/Saclay

Synthetic diamond, as a low-Z semiconductive material, is a very promising material for the fabrication of thin detectors that can be permanently inserted in beamlines for beam metrology applications. Recent developments conducted at CEA-Saclay in Paris are presented.

Cryogenic X-ray detectors for synchrotron science

Cryogenic detectors operated at temperatures below 1 K offer much higher energy resolution than conventional Ge or Si(Li) detectors, and much higher sensitivity than grating spectrometers. This article reviews current cryogenic detector technologies in the context of the synchrotron-based science they enable, with an emphasis placed on superconducting tunnel junctions because of their high count-rate capabilities.

Gas-based detectors for synchrotron radiation

A detailed description of gas-filled detectors for X-ray detection and imaging is given, including optimized position resolution, linearity, counting rate and examples of applications.

Recent developments in X-ray imaging with micrometer spatial resolution

X-ray detectors with a spatial resolution in the micrometer and submicrometer range have been developed at the synchrotron radiation sources for microtomography applications. The detectors consist of a scintillator, a light microscopy optic and a charge-coupled device.

Characterization of X-ray area detectors for synchrotron beamlines

A general methodology for the imaging characterization of X-ray area detectors for synchrotron beamlines is reviewed. It consists of defining a set of measurement tools applicable to most of the area detectors installed on beamlines, and aims at producing homogeneous characterization data regardless of the detector type.

Multilayer X-ray optics at CHESS

An overview of recent developments in multilayer optics at CHESS, covering high-resolution multilayers, small d-spacing multilayers, wide-bandpass optics and multilayers on CVD SiC substrates.

A cryogenically stabilized meV-monochromator for hard X-rays

A cryogenically stabilized meV-monochromator mitigates thermally induced deficiencies and demonstrates significantly improved performance over room-temperature designs.

Development of a scanning tunneling microscope for in situ experiments with a synchrotron radiation hard-X-ray microbeam

A scanning tunneling microscope for in situ experiments under the irradiation of a highly brilliant hard-X-ray microbeam has been developed. Scanning tunneling microscopy images were successfully obtained at atomic resolution and a modification of the tip-current spectra was obtained for Ge nano-islands on a clean Si(111) surface by changing the incident photon energy across the Ge absorption edge.

A new approach to measuring high-resolution magnetic Compton profiles

A new approach to measuring high-resolution magnetic Compton profiles is proposed and is proved to be workable.

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