Detectors

The second area of relevance to this beamline is the testing and evaluation of detectors, and the development of new detector technologies – an area where the UK plays a leading role. Detectors are integral part of any experimental system and widely vary in their specifications and applications. Examples are imaging detectors, high count rate detectors, very low count rate detectors (e.g. for space applications) or fast detectors (e.g. for laser produced plasmas). Mapping out the detailed response of detectors for x-ray astronomy is another important application.

There is much in common between detectors used in different disciplines for different particles (detection of ions, electrons, UV, x-rays) and there are similar driving forces, such as the need for parallel detection, increase in resolving power, dynamic range, uniformity, linearity, robustness etc. as well as decrease in power consumption, size and weight. Detector research for different disciplines is also underpinned by similar enabling technologies such as silicon technology, interconnect, packaging, and advances in these technologies tend to influence all areas of detector research. Therefore the benefits derived from the beamline are not restricted to synchrotron work.

The beamline can also be used for testing and calibration of beam monitors, investigating dead time with pulsed sources and calibrating detectors with absolute x-ray fluxes.