We will develop a new one-dimensional (l-D) silicon strip detector, and the accompanying integrated circuit pulse-processing electronics, for high-speed synchrotron powder diffraction experiments. Synchrotron 1-D diffraction techniques are powerful tools in elucidating the crystalline structure of many materials, including biomaterials and pharmaceuticals. This new detector will replace the currently used point detectors (semiconductor and scintillator/PMT detectors) and will provide at least 1-2 orders of magnitude improvement in data collection speed. The new detector, with ~ 0.1 mm spatial resolution, will be able to collect a large portion of the diffraction pattern at one time instead of point-by-point as is currently done, and will provide good energy resolution for discrimination of the diffracted and fluoresced photopeaks. The increase in data collection speed will not only increase sample throughput and take advantage of the increase in photon flux in the new third generation synchrotron beamlines, but will also open up new realms of experiments in the time domain. In Phase I, we will evaluate a prototype silicon strip detector, coupled to a new low-noise amplifier ASIC (application specific integrate circuit) recently developed by Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), for the 1- D diffraction applications. The electronic noise, energy resolution, and high count rate performance will be evaluated with radioisotope sources in the 5- 25 keY range, and with a high count x-ray generator producing 8 keV x-rays. In Phase II, the ASIC will be modified for optimization for this diffraction application in collaboration with BNL staff. Full detector modules will be designed and constructed consisting of 2x2 cm2 multi-channel strip detector arrays, wire-bonded to the multi-channel ASICs, and will include readout control of ASICs and data acquisition software. Several detector modules will be tiled together to form a complete linear array covering a ~40 degree angle in the 2-theta diffraction space. The detector prototype will be evaluated in diffraction applications at the National Synchrotron Light Source (at BNL) and the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory.
