Design of a hard X-ray polarimeter: X-Calibur

  • Qingzhen Guo
  • , Alfred Garson
  • , Matthias Beilicke
  • , Jerrad Martin
  • , Kuen Lee
  • , Henric Krawczynski

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

We report on Monte Carlo studies of the hard X-ray polarimeter X-Calibur. The polarimeter will be used in the focal plane of a grazing incidence hard X-ray telescope. It combines a low-Z Compton scatterer with a high-Z Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) detector assembly to measure the polarization of 10 keV 80 keV X-rays. X-Calibur makes use of the fact that polarized photons Compton scatter preferentially perpendicular to the electric field orientation. In contrast of competing designs which use only a small fraction of the incoming X-rays, X-Calibur achieves a high detection efficiency of order unity. In this contributions, we discuss a Monte Carlo study which compares X-Calibur's polarimeteric performance achieved using different scattering materials (Scintillator, Be, LiH, Li), and calculate the sensitivity of X-Calibur when used with different balloon-borne and space-borne mirror assemblies.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationIEEE Nuclear Science Symposuim and Medical Imaging Conference, NSS/MIC 2010
Pages373-377
Number of pages5
DOIs
StatePublished - 2010
Event2010 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium, Medical Imaging Conference, NSS/MIC 2010 and 17th International Workshop on Room-Temperature Semiconductor X-ray and Gamma-ray Detectors, RTSD 2010 - Knoxville, TN, United States
Duration: Oct 30 2010Nov 6 2010

Publication series

NameIEEE Nuclear Science Symposium Conference Record
ISSN (Print)1095-7863

Conference

Conference2010 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium, Medical Imaging Conference, NSS/MIC 2010 and 17th International Workshop on Room-Temperature Semiconductor X-ray and Gamma-ray Detectors, RTSD 2010
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityKnoxville, TN
Period10/30/1011/6/10

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Design of a hard X-ray polarimeter: X-Calibur'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this