High Resolution X-Ray Spectroscopy with a Microcalorimeter

Journal Article · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2005 · Journal of Undergraduate Research

OSTI ID:1051740

Norrell, J; Anderson, I

Energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS) is often the preferred choice for X-ray microanalysis, but there are still many disadvantages associated with EDS, the most significant of which is the relatively poor energy resolution, which limits detection sensitivity and the ability to distinguish among closely spaced spectral features, limiting even qualitative analysis. A new type of EDS detector that operates on the principle of microcalorimetry has the potential to eliminate this shortcoming, reaching resolutions an order of magnitude better. The detector consists of an absorber in thermal contact with a transition edge sensor (TES). An X-ray from the specimen hits the absorber and manifests itself as a change in temperature. Because the system is kept at 80 mK, the heat capacity is low and the temperature spike is observable. The TES responds to the increase in temperature by transitioning from its superconducting to its normal conducting state, thus sharply raising the overall resistance of the circuit. The circuit is kept at a constant voltage, so the increase in resistance is manifested as a decrease in current flow. This decrease in current is measured by a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID), and by integrating the current over time, the energy of the incident X-ray is determined. The prototype microcalorimeter was developed by NIST, and this technology is now available commercially through a partnership between Vericold Technologies and EDAX International. ORNL has received the first of these commercial microcalorimeters in the United States. The absorber in this detector is gold, and the TES consists of a gold-iridium bilayer. It is designed to offer spectral resolution of 10-15 eV at a count rate of ~150 s-1. The goal of this project was to analyze and document the performance of the detector, with particular attention given to the effects of an X-ray optic used to improve collection efficiency, the multiple window system and any other sources of spectral artifacts. It was found that the detector is capable of distinguishing many Lα and Lβ spectral lines, with a resolution between 13 and 17 eV. It was also observed that the background has an unusual shape, and this is largely being attributed to the variable transmission coefficient of the X-ray optic. These preliminary results suggest that the microcalorimeter has a high potential for use in microanalysis, but more work to quantify its capabilities must still be done.

• Research Organization: DOESC (USDOE Office of Science (SC) (United States))
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC)
• OSTI ID: 1051740
• Journal Information: Journal of Undergraduate Research, Vol. 5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English