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Pulse-height measurements with a cooled avalanche-photodiode detector
1Photon Factory, Institute of Materials Structure Science, 1-1 Oho, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305, Japan.
Journal of Synchrotron Radiation
|July 21, 2004
Summary
A novel cooled avalanche-photodiode detector improves X-ray diffraction experiments by enhancing energy resolution at lower temperatures and gain. This advancement enables more precise measurements in diffraction studies.
Area of Science:
- Physics
- Materials Science
- Instrumentation
Background:
- Avalanche photodiodes (APDs) are typically used at room temperature with high internal gain.
- Standard APD operation can limit energy resolution in sensitive applications like X-ray diffraction.
- Optimizing APD performance requires exploring alternative operating conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a cooled avalanche-photodiode (APD) detector for improved X-ray diffraction experiments.
- To investigate the effect of decreased temperature and gain on APD energy resolution.
- To achieve better energy resolution for X-ray diffraction applications.
Main Methods:
- Cooled the APD detector to 253 K using a thermoelectric cooler.
- Utilized a charge-sensitive preamplifier for signal processing.
- Employed a fast-counting system with a scanned discriminator threshold level.
Main Results:
- Achieved an energy resolution of 5% (FWHM) at 16.53 keV with a gain of M = 13.
- Demonstrated improved energy resolution by operating the APD at reduced temperature and gain.
- Obtained energy spectra at higher gain (M ≈ 50) and count rates up to 4.7 x 10^7 s^-1.
Conclusions:
- Cooling an APD detector significantly enhances energy resolution for X-ray diffraction.
- Reduced gain in conjunction with lower temperatures optimizes APD performance.
- The developed cooled APD detector is suitable for high-rate, high-resolution X-ray diffraction experiments.