EIGER a new single photon counting detector for X-ray applications: performance of the chip

EIGER is the next generation of single photon counting pixel detector for synchrotron radiation designed by the PSI-SLS detector group. It features a pixel size of 75 × 75μm² and frame rates up to 23 kHz. The chip contains 256 × 256 pixels, has a total size of 19.3 × 20 mm² and provides 4, 8 and 12 bit counting modes. This dynamic range is extendable to 32 bits with continuous read/write and summation of frames on the fly in firmware.

Along with X-ray absorption images, the characterization and performance of the chip is presented. The energy calibration, noise, minimum energy threshold and rate capability measured with a single chip test system in a X-ray tube and at the SLS-PSI synchrotron are shown. Trimming studies and irradiation effects are discussed as well. To conclude, the status of the production of larger detector systems consisting of 2 × 4 chip modules and multi modules detector systems (9 Mpixels; 3 × 6 modules) is outlined.