Development of the multi-pixel x-ray microcalorimeters

H. Kudo, T Nakamura, T Arakawa, S. Ohtsuka, T Izumi, S. Shoji, H. Sato, H. Kobayashi, K. Mori, T. Homma, T. Osaka, K. Mitsuda, N. Y. Yamasaki, R. Fujimoto, N. Iyomoto, T. Oshima, K. Futamoto, Y. Takei, T. Ichitsubo, T. Fujimori, Y. Ishisaki, U. Morita, T
Waseda University, JP

Keywords: MEMS, X-ray, calorimeter, thermal sensor

Abstract:
We are developing a multi-pixel x-ray microcalorimeters in order to realize good energy resolution x-ray imaging for future Japanese X-ray astronomy missions. The energy resolutions of 10eV at 6keV and 32x32 pixels of arrayed x-ray microcalorimeters are required for this purpose. The advantages of x-ray microcalorimeters are clear compared with common x-ray sensors. The most popular x-ray imaging spectrometer is an x-ray CCD. The energy resolution of an x-ray CCD is theoretically limited to ~120eV at 6keV. A grating is usually used as a good energy resolution spectrometer particularly below 1~2eV. However the efficiency of the grating is poor. An x-ray microcalorimeter is fabricated and tested. A superconducting phase transition edge sensor is applied for the x-ray microcalorimeter. The energy resolution of 34 eV at 6keV incident x-ray photon is obtained under 151mk of operating temperature. Details of the x-ray microcalorimeter, signal processing and the latest progress will be presented.

NSTI Nanotech 2003 Conference Technical Program Abstract