2D - Detectors

Detector Lab

Figure 1: 3D sketch of the Detectorlab. 1: X-ray setup. 2: Visible light setup. 3: Control electronics.
4. X-ray control interface. 5: Visible-light control interface.

The application, commissioning and development of 2D and 3D X-ray imaging techniques are some of the main tasks of the Imaging group. Therefore, a detector lab has been established at the KIT Synchrotron Light Source which is dedicated to R&D of imaging detectors. In this lab, detectors can be characterized, calibrated and tested “off-line”, independently of the synchrotron storage ring status and/ or user operation. Two experimental stations are available in the lab (Figure 1):

An X-ray setup, including a high-energy, high-power microfocus X-ray tube (160 kVp, 320 W) and a 5-axispositioning system mounted on an optical breadboard for moving one or more detectors and test samples independently. The X-ray setup is surrounded by a fully accessible lead cabin and can be controlled remotely. The goal is to implement standardized procedures which allow qualitative and quantitative detector testing.
A complementary optical setup to characterize the visible light components of indirect converting X-ray detectors. The setup consists of a broad-band visible-light source, as well as a general purpose manipulator mounted on along optical rail. A photodiode is available to measure the transmission of optical components, as well as to calibrate the flux of the light source. In the future, an upgrade with a remotely controllable visible-light monochromator is foreseen. The detectors currently available include indirect converting scintillator-based systems as well as direct converting semiconductor pixel-detector systems. IPS is part of several collaborations like SCINTAX, Galapad,UFO, the HGF detector initiative, and the Medipix3 collaboration, which all aim for developing and improving X-ray imaging detector systems. The detector lab is one big step forward towards playing a major role in these activities.

Available detector systems

Medipix detectors:
256×256 pixels, 55 µm pixel pitch, active area 14×14 mm²
Different readout chips: Medipix2 MXR, Timepix, Medipix3
Sensor materials: Si, GaAs and CdTe
Hexa modules (matrix of 2×3 chips, active area 42×28 mm²)
Readout systems: FitPix (UTF Prague), X-KIT (IPE collaboration)

Other detectors:
Dexela 1207 (CsI scintillator, 75×75 µm² pixel size, 115×65 mm² active area)
Perkin Elmer XRD 1621 flat panel (Gadox scintillator, 200×200 µm² pixel size, 400×400 mm² active area)
UFO camera (IPE collaboration, 2048×1088 pixels)