T. Graber

Test of a high-heat-load double-crystal diamond monochromator at the Advanced Photon Source.

We have tested the first diamond double-crystal monochromator at the Advanced Photon Source (APS). The monochromator consisted of two synthetic type 1b (1 1 1) diamond plates in symmetric Bragg geometry. The single-crystal plates were 6 mm × 5 mm × 0.25 mm and 6 mm × 5 mm × 0.37 mm and showed a combination of mosaic spread/strain of the order of 2–4 arcsec over a central 1.4 mm-wide strip. The monochromator first crystal was indirectly cooled by edge contact with a water-cooled copper holder. We studied the performance of the monochromator under the high-power X-ray beam delivered by the APS undulator A. By changing the undulator gap, we varied the power incident on the first crystal and found no indication of thermal distortions or strains even at the highest incident power (200 W) and power density (108 W/mm2 in normal incidence). The calculated maximum power and power density absorbed by the first crystal were 14.5 W and 2.4 W/mm2, respectively. We also compared the maximum intensity delivered by this monochromator and by a silicon (1 1 1) cryogenically cooled monochromator. For energies in the range 6–10 keV, the flux through the diamond monochromator was about a factor of two less than through the silicon monochromator, in good agreement with calculations. We conclude that water-cooled diamond monochromators can handle the high-power beams from the undulator beamlines at the APS. As single-crystal diamond plates of larger size and better quality become available, the use of diamond monochromators will become a very attractive option.

Experimental results obtained with the positron-annihilation-radiation telescope of the Toulouse-Argonne collaboration

We present laboratory measurements obtained with a ground-based prototype of a focusing positron-annihilation-radiation telescope developed by the Toulouse-Argonne collaboration. This balloon-borne telescope has been designed to collect 511-keV photons with an extremely low instrumental background. The telescope features a Laue diffraction lens and a detector module containing a small array of germanium detectors. It will provide a combination of high spatial and energy resolution (15 arc sec and 2 keV, respectively) with a sensitivity of -3x10-5 photons cm-2s-1. These features will allow us to resolve a possible narrow 511-keV line both energetically and spatially within a Galactic center “microquasar” or in other broad-class annihilators.

Crystal diffraction lens telescope for focusing nuclear gamma rays

A crystal diffraction lens was constructed at Argonne National Laboratory for use as a telescope to focus nuclear gamma rays. It consists of 600 single crystals of germanium arranged in 8 concentric rings. The mounted angle of each crystal was adjusted to intercept and diffract the incoming gamma rays with an accuracy of a few arcsec. The performance of the lens was tested in two ways. In one case, the gamma rays were focused on a single medium size germanium detector. In the second case, the gamma rays were focused on the central germanium detector of a 3 multiplied by 3 matrix of small germanium detectors. The efficiency, image concentration and image quality, and shape were measured. The tests performed with the 3 by 3 matrix detector system were particularly interesting. The wanted radiation was concentrated in the central detector. The 8 other detectors were used to detect the Compton scattered radiation, and their energy was summed with coincident events in the central detector. This resulted in a detector with the efficiency of a large detector (all 9 elements) and the background of a small detector (only the central element). The use of the 3 multiplied by 3 detector matrix makes it possible to tell if the source is off axis and, if so, to tell in which direction. The crystal lens acts very much like a simple convex lens for visible light. Thus if the source is off to the left then the image will focus off to the right illuminating the detector on the right side: telling one in which direction to point the telescope. Possible applications of this type of crystal lens to balloon and satellite experiments are discussed.

A space bourne crystal diffraction telescope for the energy range of nuclear transitions

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Experimental results obtained with the positron-annihilation- radiation telescope of the Toulouse-Argonne collaboration

We present laboratory measurements obtained with a ground-based prototype of a focusing positron-annihilation-radiation telescope developed by the Toulouse-Argonne collaboration. This balloon-borne telescope has been designed to collect 511-keV photons with an extremely low instrumental background. The telescope features a Laue diffraction lens and a detector module containing a small array of germanium detectors. It will provide a combination of high spatial and energy resolution (15 arc sec and 2 keV, respectively) with a sensitivity of {approximately}3{times}10{sup {minus}5} photons cm{sup {minus}2}s{sup {minus}1}. These features will allow us to resolve a possible narrow 511-keV line both energetically and spatially within a Galactic center ``microquasar`` or in other broad-class annihilators. The ground-based prototype consists of a crystal lens holding small cubes of diffracting germanium crystals and a 3{times}3 germanium array that detects the concentrated beam in the focal plane. Measured performances of the instrument at different line energies (511 keV and 662 keV) are presented and compared with Monte-Carlo simulations. The advantages of a 3{times}3 Ge-detector array with respect to a standard-monoblock detector have been confirmed. The results obtained in the laboratory have strengthened interest in a crystal-diffraction telescope, offering new perspectives for die future of experimental gamma-ray astronomy.

Test results of a diamond double-crystal monochromator at the advanced photon source

We have tested the first diamond double-crystal monochromator at the Advanced Photon Source (APS). The monochromator consisted of two synthetic type lb (111) diamond plates in symmetric Bragg geometry. We tested two pairs of single-crystal plates: the first pair was 6 mm by 5 mm by 0.25 mm and 6 mm by 5 mm by 0.37 mm; the second set was 7 mm by 5.5 mm by 0.44 mm. The monochromator first crystal was indirectly cooled by edge contact with a water-cooled copper holder. We studied the performance of the monochromator under the high-power x-ray beam delivered by the APS undulator A. We found no indication of thermal distortions or strains even at the highest incident power (280 watts) and power density (123 W/mm{sup 2} at normal incidence). The calculated maximum power and power density absorbed by the first crystal were 37 watts and 16 W/mm{sup 2} respectively. We also compared the maximum intensity delivered by the diamond monochromator and by a silicon (111) cryogenically cooled monochromator. For energies in the range of 6 to 10 keV, the flux through the diamond monochromator was about a factor of two less than through the silicon monochromator, in good agreement with calculations. We conclude that water-cooled diamond monochromators can handle the high-power beams from the undulator beams from the undulator beamlines at the APS. As single-crystal diamond plates of larger size and better quality become available, the use of diamond monochromators will become a very attractive option.