Development of Multilayer Analyzer Array Detectors for X‐ray Fluorescence at the Third Generation Synchrotron Source

The development of Multilayer Analyzer Array Detector (MAAD) for X‐ray fluorescence eliminates the count rate limitation encountered with multi‐element Ge detectors. A 24‐element multilayer detector has been fabricated that is tunable in a large energy region. This detector has been operational for more than two years at the BioCAT Beamline of the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. Here we report our recent progress in developing multilayer detectors working in lower energy regions, in particular, performance at Ca Kα fluorescence energy and test results at soft x‐ray energies. The band width of the analyzer response is found to be 3–4% of the fluorescence energy. Namely, at the Ca Kα energy, the band width is 140 eV; it is reduced to about 60 eV at Al Kα fluorescence energy. The throughput of the detector in this energy region (1.5–3.6 KeV) is 20% to 30%. These results demonstrate the feasibility for constructing multilayer analyzer array detectors for use in the soft x‐ray region.