High-rate X-ray spectroscopy using a silicon drift detector and a charge preamplifier

In this work, we present the results achieved in the experimental characterization of a Silicon Drift Detector (SDD) in X-ray spectroscopy measurements at high counting rates. The main goal of the work is to verify that high peak stability can be achieved when using an SDD with the input JFET and when the feedback capacitor directly integrated on the detector and a charge preamplifier configuration. In the proposed circuit, the SDD anode voltage is stabilized by means of a low-frequency feedback loop which operates according to the 'drain feedback' technique. The stabilization of the anode voltage is necessary to guarantee the stabilization of the feedback capacitor; moreover, the implemented design allows to obtain a sufficiently fixed decay time constant of the preamplifier with respect to rate variations. In the characterization of the preamplifier with an SDD, a Mn-Kalpha peak shift within +/- 0.05% (i.e. below 6 eV) has been achieved changing the rate from few kcounts/s up to several hundred kcounts/s. The same circuit has been modified and then employed to be used with an SDD without feedback capacitor, exploiting a parasitic capacitor between anode and a neighbour ring as feedback capacitor. The results achieved with this configuration are also presented in this work. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.