Detailed calibration of the PI-LCX：1300 high performance single photon counting hard x-ray CCD camera

X-ray charge-coupled-device（CCD） camera working in single photon counting mode is a type of x-ray spectrometer with high-sensitivity and superior signal-to-noise performance. In this study, two single photon counting CCD cameras with the same mode（model： PI-LCX： 1300） are calibrated with quasi-monochromatic x-rays from radioactive sources and a conventional x-ray tube. The details of the CCD response to x-rays are analyzed by using a computer program of multi-pixel analyzing and event-distinguishing capability. The detection efficiency, energy resolution, fraction of multi-pixel events each as a function of x-ray energy, and consistence of two CCD cameras are obtained. The calibrated detection efficiency is consistent with the detection efficiency from Monte Carlo calculations with XOP program. When the multi-pixel event analysis is applied, the CCDs may be used to measure x-rays up to 60 ke V with good energy resolution（E /？E ≈ 100 at60 ke V）. The difference in detection efficiency between two CCD cameras is small（5.6% at 5.89 ke V）, but the difference in fraction of the single pixel event between them is much larger（25% at 8.04 ke V）. The obtained small relative error of detection efficiency（2.4% at 5.89 ke V） makes the high accurate measurement of x-ray yield possible in the laser plasma interaction studies. Based on the discrete calibration results, the calculated detection efficiency with XOP can be used for the whole range of 5 ke V–30 ke V.

Recent advances on two-dimensional metal halide perovskite x-ray detectors

In recent years,two-dimensional metal halide perovskites(MHPs)have attracted increased attention for radiation detection and imaging.Their detection efficiencies are almost comparable to three-dimensional(3D)perovskites.Meanwhile,they demonstrate superior stability to 3D perovskites.The pursuit of high-quality,phase-pure and lead-free two-dimensional MHP materials and large-area fabrication capability for x-ray detectors are among the research hotspots.In this review,we first give a brief introduction of the crystallographic structure,optoelectronic characteristics and preparation methods of high-quality two-dimensional perovskites.In addition,we overview the general working principles of direct and indirect x-ray detection processes and the corresponding performance metrics from the perspective of detection and imaging.Furthermore,we provide a comprehensive discussion on the recent advances in 2D perovskite x-ray detectors and imaging devices.Finally,we pinpoint several major obstacles of 2D x-ray detectors that should be overcome in the near future.

The High Energy X-ray telescope (HE) onboard the Insight-HXMT astronomy satellite

The Insight-Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope(Insight-HXMT) is a broadband X-ray and γ-ray(1-3000 ke V) astronomy satellite. One of its three main telescopes is the High Energy X-ray telescope(HE). The main detector plane of HE comprises 18 Na I(Tl)/Cs I(Na) phoswich detectors, where Na I(Tl) is used as the primary detector to measure ~ 20-250 ke V photons incident from the field of view(FOV) defined by collimators, and Cs I(Na) is used as the active shielding detector to Na I(Tl) by pulse shape discrimination. Additionally, Cs I(Na) is used as an omnidirectional γ-ray monitor. The HE collimators have a diverse FOV,i.e. 1.1°×5.7°(15 units), 5.7°×5.7°(2 units), and blocked(1 unit). Therefore, the combined FOV of HE is approximately5.7°×5.7°. Each HE detector has a diameter of 190 mm resulting in a total geometrical area of approximately 5100 cm2, and the energy resolution is ~15% at 60 ke V. For each recorded X-ray event by HE, the timing accuracy is less than 10 μs and the deadtime is less than 10 μs. HE is used for observing spectra and temporal variability of X-ray sources in the 20-250 ke V band either by pointing observations for known sources or scanning observations to unveil new sources. Additionally, HE is used for monitoring the γ-ray burst in 0.2-3 Me V band. This paper not only presents the design and performance of HE instruments but also reports results of the on-ground calibration experiments.

A study of the active thermal control for the high energy detector on the HXMT

A thermal control system （TCS） based on the resistance heating method is designed for the High Energy Detector （HED） on the Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope （HXMT）. The ground-based experiments of the active thermal control for the HED with the TCS are performed in the ambient temperature range from -15 to 20 ℃ by utilizing the pulse width to monitor the interior temperature of a NaI（T1） crystal. Experimental results show that the NaI（T1） crystal＇s interior temperature is from 17.4 to 21.7 ℃ when the temperature of the PMT shell is controlled within （20±3）℃with the TCS in the interesting temperature range, and the energy resolution of the HED is maintained at 16.2% @122 keV, only a little worse than that of 16.0% obtained at 20 ℃. The average power consumption of the TCS for the HED with a low-emissivity shell is about 4.3 W, which is consistent with the simulation.

In-orbit performance of HE onboard Insight-HXMT in the first 5 years

Purpose The high-energy X-ray telescope(HE),one of the three main payloads of the Insight-HXMT mission,is composed of eighteen NaI(Tl)/CsI(Na)phoswich detectors,where NaI(Tl)serves as the primary detector covering 20–250 keV,and CsI(Na)is used as an active shield detector to suppress the background of NaI(Tl)and also serves as an all-sky gammaray burst monitor covering 0.2–3MeV.In this paper,we review the in-orbit performance of HE in the first 5 years since Insight-HXMT was launched on June 15,2017.Methods The major performances we concern include the gain and energy resolution of NaI(Tl)and CsI(Na)detectors,the performance of pulse shape discriminator(PSD)and system dead time.In this work,we investigate these performances mainly using the data of blank-sky observations and the data when the telescope is in earth occultation.Results The overall performance of HE/NaI(Tl)is very stable in the first 5 years,whereas the gain of HE/CsI(Na)shows a continuously increasing trend and should be calibrated regularly.Conclusion In general,HE is still in good health and well-calibrated status after five-year’s operation.The in-orbit performance of HE has no significant deviation from expectation.HE is expected to be in operation healthily for another several years of extended mission life.

In-orbit performance of ME onboard Insight-HXMT in the first 5 years

Introduction The medium-energy X-ray telescope(ME)is a collimated X-ray telescope onboard the Insight hard X-ray modulation telescope(Insight-HXMT)satellite.It has 1728 Si-PIN pixels readout using 54 low noise application-specific integrated circuits(ASICs).ME covers the energy range of 5–30 keV and has a total detection area of 952cm2.The typical energy resolution of ME at the beginning of the mission is 3 keV at 17.8 keV(full width at half maximum,FWHM),and the time resolution is 255μs.In this study,we present the in-orbit performance of ME in its first 5 years of operation.Methods The performance of ME was monitored using onboard radioactive sources and astronomical X-ray objects.ME carries six 241Am radioactive sources for onboard calibration,which can continuously illuminate the calibration pixels.The long-term performance evolution of ME can be quantified using the properties of the accumulated spectra of the calibration pixels.In addition,observations of the Crab Nebula and the pulsar were used to check the long-term evolution of the detection efficiency as a function of energy.Conclusion After 5 years of operation,742cm2 of the Si-PIN pixelswere stillworking normally.The peak positions of 241Am emission lines gradually shifted to the high-energy region,implying a slow increase in ME gain of 1.43%.A comparison of the ME spectra of the Crab Nebula and the pulsar shows that the E–C relations and the redistribution matrix file are still acceptable for most data analysis works,and there is no detectable variation in the detection efficiency.

10~100 keV能区硬X光探测器精密校准及应用

在惯性约束聚变实验研究中,硬X光能谱的定量诊断设备滤波荧光谱仪的核心探测元件为硬X光闪烁探测器。鉴于此,建立一种基于半导体硬X光二极管的硬X光探测器能量灵敏度校准方法,其具有快速简便的优点,量值溯源不依赖放射源强度,校准不确定度为7%。首先,利用该方法分别在硬X光机和上海同步辐射光源上实现对碘化钠和氟化钡闪烁探测器在不同能量灵敏度范围的能量灵敏度校准。其次,使用蒙特卡罗模拟程序Geant4计算两种类型探测器的理论灵敏度曲线,并与校准实验结果进行比较分析,将校准数据外推到整个能量范围(10~100 keV)。最后,将该方法应用到真空隔离片能量透过率的精密校准,低灵敏BaF_(2)闪烁探测器的校准结果可应用于高亮度硬X光源实验的研究。

Copper‑based metal halides for X‑ray and photodetection

Copper-based metal halides have become important materials in the feld of X-ray and photodetection due to their excellent optical properties,good environmental stability and low toxicity.This review presents the progress of research on crystal structure/morphology,photophysics/optical properties and applications of copper-based metal halides.We also discuss the challenges of copper-based metal halides with a perspective of their future research directions.