Boosting Photon Science through Detector Development

Dr. Anna Bergamaschi
PSI Center for Photon Science, Zurich (Switzerland)

Photon science drives discoveries across diverse fields, from material science to biology. Over the past two decades, advancements in detector technologies have revolutionized imaging applications, significantly enhancing their speed, reliability, and performance. As photon sources grow more powerful, the demand for detectors with improved dynamic range, speed, resolution, and efficiency continues to increase. These challenges necessitate ongoing innovation in all detector components, including sensors, readout electronics, and systems capable of managing huge data throughput. This presentation highlights how cutting-edge detector technologies are transforming applications at synchrotrons and X-ray Free Electron Lasers (XFELs), driving advancements in techniques such as diffraction, microscopy, and spectroscopy. Detector innovations originally developed for high-energy physics are now being tailored to meet the specific requirements of photon science, demonstrating the power of interdisciplinary collaboration. A recent breakthrough is the adaptation of Low Gain Avalanche Diodes (LGADs) for soft X-ray detection, leading to the deployment of the first single photon counting detector capable of measuring energies as low as 500 eV. This advancement has enabled the acquisition of nanometer-resolution magnetic contrast ptychographic images of FeBiO3 samples at the iron and oxygen K-edges, showcasing the detector's remarkable capabilities. In addition, progress is being made in developing a Resonant Inelastic X-ray Scattering (RIXS) detector. This innovative system features a kHz frame rate and micron-level spatial resolution, achieved through interpolation techniques, and promises to open new possibilities for high-precision spectroscopy. These advancements exemplify how interdisciplinary approaches can drive technological innovation and address broader societal challenges in fields like medicine, microelectronics, and energy research.