A Large Area Imaging Gas Scintillation Proportional Counter For Use In X-Ray Astronomy

William H. M. Ku; Kenneth S. Lum; Michael H. Vartanian

doi:10.1117/12.966169

9 January 1984 A Large Area Imaging Gas Scintillation Proportional Counter For Use In X-Ray Astronomy

William H. M. Ku, Kenneth S. Lum, Michael H. Vartanian

Proceedings Volume 0445, Instrumentation in Astronomy V; (1984) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.966169
Event: 1983 Astronomy Conferences, 1983, London, United Kingdom

Abstract

A large area (200 cm2), broad bandwidth (0.1-70 keV), imaging gas scintillation proportional counter (IGSPC) has been constructed for use in X-ray astronomy. The IGSPC consists of a high pressure xenon gas scintillation proportional counter (GSPC) coupled to a multi-wire proportional counter (MWPC) via a calcium fluoride window. The MWPC, filled with a mixture of argon, methane, and tetrakis (dimethylamino) ethylene, detects the UV photons emitted by the xenon gas in the GSPC. The detector has a measured energy resolution of 8.0% (FWHM) and 4.3% (FWHM) at 5.9 keV and 22.1 keV, respectively. The predicted spatial resolution of the detector is <1 mm (FWHM) between 3-22 keV and 37-60 keV. A method to determine the three-dimensional location of detected X-rays is described. In addition, we discuss a combination of discrimination schemes designed to reduce the non-X-ray background in the IGSPC by more than two orders of magnitude.

Citation Download Citation

William H. M. Ku, Kenneth S. Lum, and Michael H. Vartanian "A Large Area Imaging Gas Scintillation Proportional Counter For Use In X-Ray Astronomy", Proc. SPIE 0445, Instrumentation in Astronomy V, (9 January 1984); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.966169

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