Silicon Sensors
For high-energy applications, X-ray detection efficiency is limited by the thickness of the silicon sensor, which converts the X-ray photons into an electrical charge. High-energy sensors with increased sensor thicknesses of 1000 µm compensate for silicon’s lower absorption efficiency at high energies.
All DECTRIS silicon sensors are based on well-established silicon technology. They are available in the MYTHEN2 and PILATUS detector families — from the MYTHEN2 1K to the PILATUS 6M. EIGER detectors incorporate our standard 450 µm silicon sensors.
Fig. 1: Quantum efficiency of 450 and 1000 µm sensors measured at the PTB laboratory at BESSY II.
| Photon energy | 450 µm | 1000 µm |
|---|---|---|
| 5.4 keV (Cr) | 94% | > 80% |
| 8.0 keV (Cu) | 98% | 96% |
| 12.4 keV (1Å) | 84% | 97% |
| 17.5 keV (Mo) | 47% | 76% |
| 22.2 keV (Ag) | 27% | 50% |
Tab. 1: Quantum efficiency at typical X-ray energies.
