Design and tests of the hard X-ray polarimeter X-Calibur

Matthias Beilicke; R. Cowsik; P. Dowkontt; Q. Guo; F. Kislat; H. Krawczynski; S. Barthelmy; T. Okajima; J. W. Mitchell; J. Schnittman; B. Zeiger; G. De Geronimo; M. G. Baring; A. Bodaghee; T. Miyazawa

doi:10.1109/AERO.2014.6836274

Design and tests of the hard X-ray polarimeter X-Calibur

Matthias Beilicke
, R. Cowsik
, P. Dowkontt
, Q. Guo
, F. Kislat
, H. Krawczynski
, S. Barthelmy
, T. Okajima
, J. W. Mitchell
, J. Schnittman
, B. Zeiger
, G. De Geronimo
, M. G. Baring
, A. Bodaghee
, T. Miyazawa

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

Abstract

X-ray polarimetry promises to give qualitatively new information about high-energy astrophysical sources, such as binary black hole systems, micro-quasars, active galactic nuclei, and gamma-ray bursts. We designed, built and tested a hard X-ray polarimeter, X-Calibur, to be used in the focal plane of the balloon-borne InFOCuS grazing incidence hard X-ray telescope. X-Calibur combines a low-Z Compton scatterer with a CZT detector assembly to measure the polarization of 20-60 keV X-rays making use of the fact that polarized photons Compton scatter preferentially perpendicular to the electric field orientation. The X-Calibur detector assembly is completed, tested, and calibrated; a first flight is scheduled from Ft. Sumner, NM, in fall 2014. In principal, a similar space-borne experiment could be operated in the 5-100 keV regime. X-Calibur achieves a high detection efficiency of order unity.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	2014 IEEE Aerospace Conference
Publisher	IEEE Computer Society
ISBN (Print)	9781479916221
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/AERO.2014.6836274
State	Published - 2014
Event	2014 IEEE Aerospace Conference - Big Sky, MT, United States Duration: Mar 1 2014 → Mar 8 2014

Publication series

Name	IEEE Aerospace Conference Proceedings
ISSN (Print)	1095-323X

Conference

Conference	2014 IEEE Aerospace Conference
Country/Territory	United States
City	Big Sky, MT
Period	03/1/14 → 03/8/14

Access to Document

10.1109/AERO.2014.6836274

Cite this

Beilicke, M., Cowsik, R., Dowkontt, P., Guo, Q., Kislat, F., Krawczynski, H., Barthelmy, S., Okajima, T., Mitchell, J. W., Schnittman, J., Zeiger, B., De Geronimo, G., Baring, M. G., Bodaghee, A., & Miyazawa, T. (2014). Design and tests of the hard X-ray polarimeter X-Calibur. In 2014 IEEE Aerospace Conference Article 6836274 (IEEE Aerospace Conference Proceedings). IEEE Computer Society. https://doi.org/10.1109/AERO.2014.6836274

@inproceedings{2219dafb97bc4095bf7767b7faeacf5b,

title = "Design and tests of the hard X-ray polarimeter X-Calibur",

abstract = "X-ray polarimetry promises to give qualitatively new information about high-energy astrophysical sources, such as binary black hole systems, micro-quasars, active galactic nuclei, and gamma-ray bursts. We designed, built and tested a hard X-ray polarimeter, X-Calibur, to be used in the focal plane of the balloon-borne InFOCuS grazing incidence hard X-ray telescope. X-Calibur combines a low-Z Compton scatterer with a CZT detector assembly to measure the polarization of 20-60 keV X-rays making use of the fact that polarized photons Compton scatter preferentially perpendicular to the electric field orientation. The X-Calibur detector assembly is completed, tested, and calibrated; a first flight is scheduled from Ft. Sumner, NM, in fall 2014. In principal, a similar space-borne experiment could be operated in the 5-100 keV regime. X-Calibur achieves a high detection efficiency of order unity.",

author = "Matthias Beilicke and R. Cowsik and P. Dowkontt and Q. Guo and F. Kislat and H. Krawczynski and S. Barthelmy and T. Okajima and Mitchell, \{J. W.\} and J. Schnittman and B. Zeiger and \{De Geronimo\}, G. and Baring, \{M. G.\} and A. Bodaghee and T. Miyazawa",

year = "2014",

doi = "10.1109/AERO.2014.6836274",

language = "English",

isbn = "9781479916221",

series = "IEEE Aerospace Conference Proceedings",

publisher = "IEEE Computer Society",

booktitle = "2014 IEEE Aerospace Conference",

note = "2014 IEEE Aerospace Conference ; Conference date: 01-03-2014 Through 08-03-2014",

}

Beilicke, M, Cowsik, R, Dowkontt, P, Guo, Q, Kislat, F, Krawczynski, H, Barthelmy, S, Okajima, T, Mitchell, JW, Schnittman, J, Zeiger, B, De Geronimo, G, Baring, MG, Bodaghee, A & Miyazawa, T 2014, Design and tests of the hard X-ray polarimeter X-Calibur. in 2014 IEEE Aerospace Conference., 6836274, IEEE Aerospace Conference Proceedings, IEEE Computer Society, 2014 IEEE Aerospace Conference, Big Sky, MT, United States, 03/1/14. https://doi.org/10.1109/AERO.2014.6836274

TY - GEN

T1 - Design and tests of the hard X-ray polarimeter X-Calibur

AU - Beilicke, Matthias

AU - Cowsik, R.

AU - Dowkontt, P.

AU - Guo, Q.

AU - Kislat, F.

AU - Krawczynski, H.

AU - Barthelmy, S.

AU - Okajima, T.

AU - Mitchell, J. W.

AU - Schnittman, J.

AU - Zeiger, B.

AU - De Geronimo, G.

AU - Baring, M. G.

AU - Bodaghee, A.

AU - Miyazawa, T.

PY - 2014

Y1 - 2014

N2 - X-ray polarimetry promises to give qualitatively new information about high-energy astrophysical sources, such as binary black hole systems, micro-quasars, active galactic nuclei, and gamma-ray bursts. We designed, built and tested a hard X-ray polarimeter, X-Calibur, to be used in the focal plane of the balloon-borne InFOCuS grazing incidence hard X-ray telescope. X-Calibur combines a low-Z Compton scatterer with a CZT detector assembly to measure the polarization of 20-60 keV X-rays making use of the fact that polarized photons Compton scatter preferentially perpendicular to the electric field orientation. The X-Calibur detector assembly is completed, tested, and calibrated; a first flight is scheduled from Ft. Sumner, NM, in fall 2014. In principal, a similar space-borne experiment could be operated in the 5-100 keV regime. X-Calibur achieves a high detection efficiency of order unity.

AB - X-ray polarimetry promises to give qualitatively new information about high-energy astrophysical sources, such as binary black hole systems, micro-quasars, active galactic nuclei, and gamma-ray bursts. We designed, built and tested a hard X-ray polarimeter, X-Calibur, to be used in the focal plane of the balloon-borne InFOCuS grazing incidence hard X-ray telescope. X-Calibur combines a low-Z Compton scatterer with a CZT detector assembly to measure the polarization of 20-60 keV X-rays making use of the fact that polarized photons Compton scatter preferentially perpendicular to the electric field orientation. The X-Calibur detector assembly is completed, tested, and calibrated; a first flight is scheduled from Ft. Sumner, NM, in fall 2014. In principal, a similar space-borne experiment could be operated in the 5-100 keV regime. X-Calibur achieves a high detection efficiency of order unity.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84903975536

U2 - 10.1109/AERO.2014.6836274

DO - 10.1109/AERO.2014.6836274

M3 - Conference contribution

AN - SCOPUS:84903975536

SN - 9781479916221

T3 - IEEE Aerospace Conference Proceedings

BT - 2014 IEEE Aerospace Conference

PB - IEEE Computer Society

T2 - 2014 IEEE Aerospace Conference

Y2 - 1 March 2014 through 8 March 2014

ER -

Design and tests of the hard X-ray polarimeter X-Calibur

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