Simple solutions for spectroscopic, photon counting X-ray imaging detectors

The central idea of our approach is to use standard imaging sensors for industrial optical imaging as X-ray sensors. We use them as a simple solution for a spectroscopic, single photon counting X-ray detector with a reduction of the pixel size by a factor of almost 10 compared to commercially available photon counting X-ray detectors. In principle, each of the sensors photodiodes can act as a direct converting X-ray sensor pixel. We compare the acquisition of images in integrating and photon-counting mode and notice a much better spatial resolution in photon-counting mode compared to integrating- mode. Using the benefits of direct detection we gather spectroscopic information of the incident photons. Gray value and energy deposition are correlated linearly. Energy resolutions down to 700 eV are by limitation to single event clusters. Furthermore detection efficiency, multiplicity, DQE(0), MTF and the radiation hardness are investigated.