Configuration and Performance of a Television X-Ray Detector System for Imaging and Diffraction Applications

Publisher Summary A computer-controlled, intensified SIT television detector system has been developed for a wide range of applications for X-ray, visible light and UV, and particle detection. In particular, this system has been used for X-ray diffraction, imaging applications, electron microscopy, and observational astronomy studies are being initiated. The basic system consists of (1) an image intensification section, (2) a SIT vidicon tube (or other vidicon tube or CCD array), (3) timing and scan control electronics, (4) signal processing electronics, and (5) a large capacity, high-speed memory system. X-rays and particles are detected using a phosphor or scintillator convertor deposited on a fiber-optic faceplate coupled to the fiber optic input of the image intensifier. Each incident X-ray or particle generates a burst of approximately 25 to 50 photons in the 450 to 600-nm range for each kilovolt of photon or particle energy. These events are subsequently detected above the thermionic photoelectron background from the photocathode of the image intensifier.