Barret, DidierDidierBarretLam Trong, ThienThienLam Trongden Herder, Jan-WillemJan-Willemden HerderPIRO, LUIGILUIGIPIROBarcons, XavierXavierBarconsHuovelin, JuhaniJuhaniHuovelinKelley, RichardRichardKelleyMas-Hesse, J. MiguelJ. MiguelMas-HesseMitsuda, KazuhisaKazuhisaMitsudaPaltani, StéphaneStéphanePaltaniRauw, GregorGregorRauwRoŻanska, AgataAgataRoŻanskaWilms, JoernJoernWilmsBarbera, MarcoMarcoBarberaBOZZO , ENRICOENRICOBOZZOCeballos, Maria TeresaMaria TeresaCeballosCharles, IvanIvanCharlesDecourchelle, AnneAnneDecourchelleden Hartog, RolandRolandden HartogDuval, Jean-MarcJean-MarcDuvalFIORE, FabrizioFabrizioFIOREGatti, FlavioFlavioGattiGoldwurm, AndreaAndreaGoldwurmJackson, BrianBrianJacksonJonker, PeterPeterJonkerKilbourne, CarolineCarolineKilbourneMACCULI, CLAUDIOCLAUDIOMACCULIMendez, MarianoMarianoMendezMOLENDI, SILVANOSILVANOMOLENDIOrleanski, PiotrPiotrOrleanskiPajot, FrançoisFrançoisPajotPointecouteau, EtienneEtiennePointecouteauPorter, FrederickFrederickPorterPratt, Gabriel W.Gabriel W.PrattPrêle, DamienDamienPrêleRavera, LaurentLaurentRaveraRenotte, EtienneEtienneRenotteSchaye, JoopJoopSchayeShinozaki, KeisukeKeisukeShinozakiVALENZIANO, LUCALUCAVALENZIANOVink, JaccoJaccoVinkWebb, NatalieNatalieWebbYamasaki, NorikoNorikoYamasakiDelcelier-Douchin, FrançoiseFrançoiseDelcelier-DouchinLe Du, MichelMichelLe DuMesnager, Jean-MichelJean-MichelMesnagerPradines, AliceAlicePradinesBranduardi-Raymont, GraziellaGraziellaBranduardi-RaymontDADINA, MAUROMAURODADINAFinoguenov, AlexisAlexisFinoguenovFukazawa, YasushiYasushiFukazawaJaniuk, AgnieszkaAgnieszkaJaniukMiller, JonJonMillerNazé, Yaël.Yaël.NazéNICASTRO, FABRIZIOFABRIZIONICASTROSCIORTINO, SalvatoreSalvatoreSCIORTINOTorrejon, Jose MiguelJose MiguelTorrejonGeoffray, HervéHervéGeoffrayHernandez, IsabelleIsabelleHernandezLuno, LaureLaureLunoPeille, PhilippePhilippePeilleAndré, JérômeJérômeAndréDaniel, ChristopheChristopheDanielEtcheverry, ChristopheChristopheEtcheverryGloaguen, EmilieEmilieGloaguenHassin, JérémieJérémieHassinHervet, GillesGillesHervetMaussang, IrwinIrwinMaussangMoueza, JérômeJérômeMouezaPaillet, AlexisAlexisPailletVella, BrunoBrunoVellaCampos Garrido, GonzaloGonzaloCampos GarridoDamery, Jean-CharlesJean-CharlesDameryPanem, ChantalChantalPanemPanh, JohanJohanPanhBandler, SimonSimonBandlerBiffi, Jean-MarcJean-MarcBiffiBoyce, KevinKevinBoyceClénet, AntoineAntoineClénetDiPirro, MichaelMichaelDiPirroJamotton, PierrePierreJamottonLOTTI, SimoneSimoneLOTTISchwander, DenisDenisSchwanderSmith, StephenStephenSmithvan Leeuwen, Bert-JoostBert-Joostvan Leeuwenvan Weers, HenkHenkvan WeersBrand, ThorstenThorstenBrandCobo, BeatrizBeatrizCoboDauser, ThomasThomasDauserde Plaa, JelleJellede PlaaCucchetti, EdoardoEdoardoCucchetti2021-04-272021-04-272016978151060189597815106191350277-786Xhttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12386/30926The X-ray Integral Field Unit (X-IFU) on board the Advanced Telescope for High-ENergy Astrophysics (Athena) will provide spatially resolved high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy from 0.2 to 12 keV, with 5" pixels over a field of view of 5 arc minute equivalent diameter and a spectral resolution of 2.5 eV up to 7 keV. In this paper, we first review the core scientific objectives of Athena, driving the main performance parameters of the X-IFU, namely the spectral resolution, the field of view, the effective area, the count rate capabilities, the instrumental background. We also illustrate the breakthrough potential of the X-IFU for some observatory science goals. Then we brie y describe the X-IFU design as defined at the time of the mission consolidation review concluded in May 2016, and report on its predicted performance. Finally, we discuss some options to improve the instrument performance while not increasing its complexity and resource demands (e.g. count rate capability, spectral resolution).ELETTRONICOenConference paper10.1117/12.22324322-s2.0-85003530596http://arxiv.org/abs/1608.08105v1https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/conference-proceedings-of-spie/9905/1/The-Athena-X-ray-Integral-Field-Unit-X-IFU/10.1117/12.2232432.full2016SPIE.9905E..2FBFIS/05 - ASTRONOMIA E ASTROFISICA