Performance of a four-element Si drift detector for X-ray absorption fine-structure spectroscopy: resolution, maximum count rate, and dead-time correction with incorporation into the ATHENA data analysis software

The performance of a four-element Si drift detector for energy-dispersive fluorescence-yield X-ray absorption fine-structure measurements is reported, operating at the National Institute of Standards and Technology beamline X23A2 at the National Synchrotron Light Source. The detector can acquire X-ray absorption fine-structure spectra with a throughput exceeding 4 × 10⁵ counts per second per detector element (>1.6 × 10⁶ total counts per second summed over all four channels). At this count rate the resolution at 6 keV is approximately 220 eV, which adequately resolves the Mn Kα and Kβ fluorescence lines. Accurate dead-time correction is demonstrated, and it has been incorporated into the ATHENA data analysis program. To maintain counting efficiency and high signal to background, it is suggested that the incoming count rate should not exceed ∼70% of the maximum throughput.