Characterization of the silicon drift detector for NICER instrument
Abstract
We have studied timing properties of the Amptek Silcon Drift Detectors (SDD) using pulsed X-ray source designed at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. The proposed Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) mission will use 56 of these detectors as X-ray sensors in an attached payload to the International Space Station to study time variability of millisecond X-ray pulsars. Using a rastered pinhole we have measured the delay times for single X-ray photons as a function of the impact position on the detector, as well as signal rise time as a function of impact position. We find that the interdependence of these parameters allows us to determine photon position on the detector by measuring the signal rise time, and, improve the accuracy of the photon arrival time measurement.
- Publication:
-
High Energy, Optical, and Infrared Detectors for Astronomy V
- Pub Date:
- July 2012
- DOI:
- 10.1117/12.926667
- Bibcode:
- 2012SPIE.8453E..18P