Time-Resolved X-ray Spectroscopic Imaging with Novel Silicon Drift Detectors

This paper describes recently developed Silicon Drift Detectors dedicated to high resolution time- and energy-resolved X-ray imaging. We will discuss the design features and performances of the Controlled Drift Detector (CDD), a new detector topology featuring 2-D position sensing and energy spectroscopy of X-rays in the range 1–20 keV with a frame rate up to 100 kHz. In addition we will discuss the potential application of Multi-Linear Silicon Drift Detectors to high resolution X-ray spectroscopy at high counting rates. These detectors feature parallel columns permanently biased in drifting mode and a topology particularly suitable to optimize the signal-to-noise ratio of the readout section. Examples of radiographic images and tomographic 2-D and 3-D reconstructions of phantoms and biological samples acquired at 300 K at Sincrotrone Trieste are shown together with the spectroscopic analysis of each pixel. The timing capability of the CDD has been successfully tested by imaging the X-rays shaped by a mask vibrating at acoustic frequency with a time resolution down to 10µs.