Performance of a Broad-Band, High-Resolution, Transition-Edge Sensor Spectrometer for X-ray Astrophysics

Abstract

Future X-ray astrophysics experiments require multiplexed readout of high fill-factor, kilo-pixel arrays of transitionedge sensors (TESs), with very high spectral resolution over a broad range of energies. In this paper we report on a prototype kilo-pixel array of Mo/Au TESs readout with 8-column by 32-row time-division multiplexing (TDM). This system is being used to demonstrate the critical detector and readout technology for ESA's Athena X-IFU, and when complete will be used in laboratory astrophysics experiments. Our array and TDM readout have demonstrated a combined full-width-at-half-maximum energy resolution, including > 200 pixels, of: 1.95 eV for Ti-Kα (4.5 keV), 1.97 eV for Mn-Kα (5.9 keV), 2.16 eV for Co-Kα (6.9 keV), 2.33 eV for Cu-Kα (8 keV), 3.26 eV for Br-Kα (11.9 keV). The 1 sigma statistical errors are ≤0.01 eV for all spectra. These results meet the broad-band resolution requirements for X-IFU with margin.

A Review of X-ray Microcalorimeters Based on Superconducting Transition Edge Sensors for Astrophysics and Particle Physics

“…The achieved 1x40-row (32 TES rows + 8 repeats of the last row) energy resolution with the 32 TESs was 1.91 ± 0.01 eV at 1.5 keV, 2.23 ± 0.02 eV at 5.9 keV, 2.40 ± 0.02 eV at 6.9 keV, and 3.44 ± 0.04 eV at 11.9 keV [128]. A NIST 8-columns×32-row TDM system with a prototype of a X-IFU kilo-pixel array from NASA-GSFC has shown an exquisite average energy resolution of 2.16 ± 0.006 eV at 6.9 keV [134]. The instrument will be soon delivered to LNLN EBIT for astrophysics experiments.…”

“…The star symbol is the expected demonstration of the readout of 3168 pixels with the XIFU/Athena flight model (FM). The data points are taken from the following publications, as annotated in the bottom plot: a =[195], b =[196], c =[9], d =[133], e =[197], f =[128] (32 TESs + 8 repeats of the last row), g =[134], h =[135], i =[10], j =[198], k =[127], l =[148], m =[149], n =[114], o =[157].…”

Mitigation of Finite Bandwidth Effects in Time-Division-Multiplexed SQUID Readout of TES Arrays

“…Experimental measurements were performed in a NIST 8column × 32-row TDM system and used the NASA LPA 2.5a TES array [15] from our previous work [6], [7]. Our previous work used a "mux18b" multiplexing chip, with parameters listed in the caption of Fig.…”

“…TDM [4] is a highly mature TES-readout technology that is routinely used in 250-pixel scale TES spectrometers in a broad range of experimental applications [5]. Recent demonstrations have shown steadily improving energy resolutions [6], with the most recent result of (2.16 ± 0.006) eV at 6.9 keV meeting X-IFU requirements including engineering margins [7]. These advances have been driven by increases in TDM bandwidth and the development of techniques to mitigate the malign effects of settling transients.…”

Catalytic conversion of biobased platform chemicals to value-added polymer precursors

“…A TDM system with a total of 128 multiplexing factors is reported for bolometers [34]. A NIST 8 columns × 32 rows TDM readout system for a TES calorimeter has been developed with an energy resolution 2.16 eV at 6.9 keV [42]. A major disadvantage of TDM is the noise penalty with the increase of multiplexing factors in each column.…”