Characterization of a novel pixelated Silicon Drift Detector (PixDD) for high-throughput X-ray astrophysics

EVANGELISTA, YURIYURIEVANGELISTAAMBROSINO, FilippoFilippoAMBROSINOFEROCI, MARCOMARCOFEROCIBellutti, P.P.BelluttiBertuccio, G.G.BertuccioBorghi, G.G.BorghiCAMPANA, RICCARDORICCARDOCAMPANACaselle, M.M.CaselleCirrincione, D.D.CirrincioneFicorella, F.F.FicorellaFIORINI, MAUROMAUROFIORINIFUSCHINO, FABIOFABIOFUSCHINOGandola, M.M.GandolaGrassi, M.M.GrassiLABANTI, CLAUDIOCLAUDIOLABANTIMalcovati, P.P.MalcovatiMele, F.F.MeleMORBIDINI, AlfredoAlfredoMORBIDINIPicciotto, A.A.PicciottoRachevski, A.A.RachevskiRashevskaya, I.I.RashevskayaSammartini, M.M.SammartiniZampa, G.G.ZampaZampa, N.N.ZampaZorzi, N.N.ZorziVacchi, A.A.Vacchi2021-01-072021-01-0720181748-0221http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12386/29527Multi-pixel fast silicon detectors represent the enabling technology for the next generation of space-borne experiments devoted to high-resolution spectral-timing studies of low-flux compact cosmic sources. Several imaging detectors based on frame-integration have been developed as focal plane devices for X-ray space-borne missions but, when coupled to large-area concentrator X-ray optics, these detectors are affected by strong pile-up and dead-time effects, thus limiting the time and energy resolution as well as the overall system sensitivity. The current technological gap in the capability to realize pixelated silicon detectors for soft X-rays with fast, photon-by-photon response and nearly Fano-limited energy resolution therefore translates into the unavailability of sparse read-out sensors suitable for high throughput X-ray astronomy applications. In the framework of the ReDSoX Italian collaboration, we developed a new, sparse read-out, pixelated silicon drift detector which operates in the energy range 0.5-15 keV with nearly Fano-limited energy resolution (<=150 eV FWHM @ 6 keV) at room temperature or with moderate cooling (~0°C to +20°C). In this paper, we present the design and the laboratory characterization of the first 16-pixel (4 × 4) drift detector prototype (PixDD), read-out by individual ultra low-noise charge sensitive preamplifiers (SIRIO) and we discuss the future PixDD prototype developments.ELETTRONICOenCharacterization of a novel pixelated Silicon Drift Detector (PixDD) for high-throughput X-ray astrophysicsArticle10.1088/1748-0221/13/09/P090112-s2.0-85055577626000444645300003https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-0221/13/09/P090112018JInst..13P9011EFIS/05 - ASTRONOMIA E ASTROFISICA