Fully-Depleted p-Channel SiSeRO-CCD Demonstrates Sub-Electron Noise Performance in X-ray Characterization
Researchers characterized a thick, fully-depleted silicon CCD detector and achieved energy resolution of 54 eV at 5.9 keV with sub-electron noise performance using the SiSeRO amplifier. The detector successfully collected charge across its full 725 micrometer depth, as verified through measurements with iron-55 and americium-241 sources plus muon calibration. This combination of low noise and efficient charge collection enables sensitive X-ray spectroscopy across a broad energy range, with potential applications in high-energy physics and astronomy.
A new fully-depleted, p-channel SiSeRO-CCD detector has been characterized for X-ray response, demonstrating exceptional performance metrics. Using an iron-55 radioactive source, the detector achieved an energy resolution of 54 ± 0.9 eV (14.6 ± 0.25 electrons) at 5.9 keV for single-pixel events, indicating that the SiSeRO non-destructive readout amplifier preserves the intrinsic charge resolution of the underlying CCD. Extended characterization with americium-241 showed the detector's response extends to higher energies, with spectral features reconstructed between 9–26 keV and detection of the 59.5 keV gamma emission. Muon-derived diffusion calibration confirmed that charge transport and diffusion are consistent with interactions spanning the full sensor depth of 725 micrometers. These results establish that the detector simultaneously achieves sub-electron noise performance and efficient charge collection in a thick, fully depleted silicon detector, enabling sensitive X-ray spectroscopy across a broad energy range.
What's missing
The study does not discuss specific applications, comparison with competing detector technologies, or timeline for potential deployment in experiments.
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- arXiv physicsCenter
X-ray Response of the Fully-Depleted, p-Channel SiSeRO-CCD
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