High resolution energy dispersive spectrometry (HiREDS), a new tool for X-ray emission work

Abstract

When considering fine details, X-ray emission spectra present a structure that is quite complex over quite a wide energy window. Its systematic exhaustive study, until recently, has been hindered in many respects, due to limitations of the detector technology available. High Resolution Energy Dispersion Spectrometry (HiREDS), making use of X-ray microcalorimeter spectrometers (XMS) to collect wide energy window spectra with resolving powers at least above 100 and eventually reaching above 1000, allows changing this status quo. Still, new demands emerge upon raw data handling and spectral analysis. Following the pioneer installation in 2008 of the high resolution high energy PIXE (HRHE-PIXE) end station of the CTN 3MV tandetron, making use of a commercial transition edge sensor (TES) based XMS system, several developments were carried out by the “Lisbon team”, to handle the produced raw data and spectra. A dedicated Python code was developed to optimise off-line conversion of pulse raw list mode data files, and the DT2 code was written to solve specific challenges revealed in HRHE-PIXE produced spectra. After 14 years of developments HiREDS can be said to have been established as a new tool in its own. The upgrade of the HRHE-PIXE facility is underway and the X-ray advanced HiREDS Research and Metrology Laboratory (XAHRM-Lab) based on a 3rd generation XMS Heidelberg's University metallic magnetic calorimeter (MMC) is being installed with resolving powers above 500 and a useful energy range of 1 to 20 keV. In the present communication, the various software developments and an HiREDS-PIXE U M-shell spectrum case study are discussed and the new XAHRM-Lab facility capacity, which includes a PIXE induced X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) unit is presented.