A low-profile monolithic multi-element Ge detector for X-ray fluorescence applications

A highly compact and rapid-count-rate multi-element solid-state detector has been designed, built and recently commissioned on the oldest XAFS station of the SRS, station 7.1, which has undergone major refurbishment. The low profile of the detector has been achieved by using the monolithic solution where nine elements with a combined active area of 370 mm² have been fabricated on Ge of diameter 21.8 mm. A typical energy resolution of 170 eV with a semi-Gaussian shaping time of 0.5 µs has been achieved with X-rays of energy 5.9 keV. The low profile of the detector makes it ideal for several synchrotron radiation applications as it can be easily incorporated into complicated experimental set-ups. These include XAFS of single crystals and samples generated in a stopped flow system, protein crystallography (fluorescence XAFS for MAD or for on-line monitoring), microprobe fluorescence imaging and trace-element analysis.