SDD Silicon Drift Detector-Obsolete

The SDD is now Obsolete, please see our FAST SDD

The SDD is a thermoelectrically cooled solid-state silicon drift detector. It is recommended for applications requiring the best energy resolution, very high-count rates, and lowest X-ray energies. Its performance, small size, and low cost make it the ideal detector for many laboratory and OEM X-ray spectroscopy applications, including EDS and XRF.

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FAST SDD X-ray spectrometer with silicon drift detector for high-resolution XRF and EDS analysis.

Product Details

Overview

The SDD can provide a resolution of 125 eV FWHM at the Mn Kα line (electronic noise of 4.5 electrons rms), a peak to background of 20,000:1, an output count rate over 500 kcps, and can detect X-rays down to the Be Kα line (110 eV). It has a 25 mm2 active area and is 500 μm thick.

The standard SDD has a 0.5 mil Be window for good efficiency above 2 keV. For lower energies, the Patented C-Series windows is available with our FAST SDD® provide good efficiency down to the B line. For count rates >200 kcps, the FAST SDD® is recommended.

The SDD is normally mounted on an extender (several different lengths are available), with the preamplifier in the attached metal housing. It requires a separate signal processor and power supplies. Amptek’s XR100 PX5 configuration option is ideally suited for most laboratory uses. The same SDD detectors are available in the smaller X-123SDD package, and also with smaller preamplifiers for OEMs and custom systems.

125 eV FWHM Resolution @ 5.9 keV
High Peak-to-Background Ratio – 20,000:1
25 mm2 – collimated to 17 mm2
500 µm Thick
v2-Stage Thermoelectric Cooler
Cooling ΔT>85 K
Temperature Monitor
Thin Beryllium 0.3 or 0.5 mil
Multilayer Collimator
Hermetic Package (TO-8)
Wide Detection Range
Easy to Operate
Radiation Hard

Applications

X-Ray Fluorescence
RoHS/WEEE
Precious metals
Alloy analysis
Light elements
EDS
Teaching and Research
Process Control
Mössbauer Spectrometers
PIXE
Wavelength dispersive XRF

Amptek Silicon Drift Detector Fe-55 spectrum showing 125 eV resolution at 5.89 keV.

Figure 1. 55Fe spectrum taken with the Amptek silicon drift detector (SDD).

Features

Typical Performance Characteristics

Resolution	Peaking Time
124 eV FWHM	4 µs
126 eV FWHM	1 µs
134 eV FWHM	0.2 µs

FAST SDD energy resolution comparison versus peaking time for standard and FAST SDD detectors.

Figure 1. Resolution vs. peaking time for the FAST SDD® and standard SDD at 210 K.

FAST SDD energy resolution versus peaking time at different detector temperatures.

Figure 2. Resolution vs. peaking time at different detector temperatures, showing minimal variation at typical FAST SDD® peaking times.

FAST SDD throughput graph showing output count rate versus input count rate at different peaking times.

Figure 4. Throughput for the FAST SDD®.

FAST SDD resolution versus input count rate graph for multiple peaking times.

Figure 5. Resolution vs. Input Counts Rate (ICR) for Various Peaking Times for FAST SDD®.

FAST SDD detector efficiency and energy resolution versus X-ray energy graph.

Figure 5. Energy resolution, efficiency, and X-ray energy: This plot shows how the intrinsic efficiency (top) and energy resolution (bottom) depend on the X-ray energy.

In the bottom plot, the black curve represents “Fano broadening”, the theoretical limit with a Si based detectors, arising from quantum fluctuations in the charge production process. The colored curves represent the combination of Fano broadening and intrinsic electronic noise under optimum conditions (full cooling and long peaking time). The detector selection is most important at the lowest energies because Fano broadening dominates at high enough energies.

In the top plot, the efficiency at low energies is determined by transmission through the window and detector dead layer. The efficiency at high energies is determined by attenuation in the active depth of the detector. A Si detector with Be window is recommended between about 2 and 30 keV. A Si detector with a C1 or C2 window is recommended at lower energies, while a CdTe detector is best at energies above 30 keV.

Efficiency Package: A ZIP file of coefficients and a FAQ about efficiency. This package is provided for general information. It should not be used as a basis for critical quantitative analysis.

Performance

General
Detector Type	Silicon Drift Detector (SDD)
Detector Size	25 mm2 - collimated to 17 mm2
Silicon Thickness	500 µm
Collimator	Internal MultiLayer Collimator (ML)
Energy Resolution @ 5.9 keV (55Fe)	125 - 135 eV FWHM at 11.2 µs peaking time (guaranteed)
Peak to Background	20,000:1 (ratio of counts from 5.9 keV to 1 keV) (typical)
Detector Window Options	1/3 mil (8 µm) 1/2 mil (12.5 µm) 1 um Parylene on each
Charge Sensitive Preamplifier	Amptek custom design with reset
Gain Stability	<20 ppm/°C (typical)
Size (see Configurations)	Detector module: TO-8 package (0.640 in. high including pins, 0.600 in. diameter) XR100 box: 3.00 x 1.75 x 1.13 in (7.6 x 4.4 x 2.9 cm) excluding extender X-123 box: 2.7 x 3.9 x 1 in (7 x 10 x 2.5 cm ) excluding extender OEM configurations vary
Weight (see Configurations)	Detector module: 0.14 oz (4.1 g) XR100 box: 4.4 ounces (125 g) X-123 box: 6.3 oz (180 g) OEM configurations vary
Total Power	XR100 box: <1 Watt X-123 box: <2 Watt
Warranty Period	1 Year
Typical Device Lifetime	5 to 10 years, depending on use
Operation conditions	-35°C to +80°C
Storage and Shipping	Long term storage: 10+ years in dry environment Typical Storage and Shipping: -40°C to +85°C, 10 to 90% humidity non condensing
	TUV Certification Certificate #: CU 72072412 02 Tested to: UL 61010-1: 2004 R7 .05 CAN/CSA-C22.2 61010-1: 2004
Inputs
Preamp Power	XR100 configuration: ±8 V @ 15 mA with no more than 50 mV peak-to-peak noise OEM configuration (PA210/230 or X-123): ±5 V
Detector Power	-100 to -180 V @ 25 µA very stable <0.1% variation
Cooler Power	Current = 450 mA maximum, voltage = 3.5 V maximum with <100 mV peak-to-peak noise Note: the XR-100SDD includes its own temperature controller
Outputs
Preamplifier Sensitivity	3.6 mV/keV typical (may vary for different detectors)
Preamplifier Polarity	Positive signal output (1 kohm maximum load)
Preamplifier Feedback	Reset
Temperature Monitor Sensitivity	Varies with configuration When used with PX5, DP5, or X-123: direct reading in Kelvin through software.
Preamplifier Output Rise Time	<35 ns

Specifications

The 25 mm2 SDD is available with the standard Amptek options and OEM configurations.

XR100SDD with PX5
X-123SDD
OEM Configurations
Vacuum Applications

XR-100SDD silicon drift detector with PX5 digital pulse processor for X-ray spectroscopy.

The XR-100 SDD with the PX5

OEM silicon drift detector (SDD) with integrated preamplifier for high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy.

The SDD with its preamplifier is available in several OEM configurations

X-123 SDD complete X-ray spectrometer with integrated silicon drift detector, digital processor, and power supply.

The X-123 SDD configuration includes the detector, preamplifier, digital processor and power supplies all in one box

FAST SDD spectrometer with vacuum-compatible mounting flange and detector assembly.

The SDD is compatible with all Amptek vacuum accessories

Applications

Options Additional Info

FAST SDD stainless steel 316 XRF spectrum showing elemental peaks and quantitative analysis results.

Figure 6. Stainless Steel 316 Spectrum taken in 1 second with the FAST SDD®.

Stainless Steel 316 Quantitative Analysis with FAST SDD®

The below table displays the quantitative analysis of the data in figure 4. This spectrum was taken in 1 second with the FAST SDD®.

Element	Certified Concentration	Fast SDD® Result in 1 second
V	0.05	0.16 ± 0.28
Cr	18.45	18.32 ± 0.80
Mn	1.63	0.40 ± 0.55
Fe	64.51	65.89 ± 1.64
Co	0.10	0.00 ± 0.40
Ni	12.18	12.56 ± 0.47
Cu	0.17	0.19 ± 0.02
Mo	2.38	2.34 ± 0.08

FAST SDD solder spectrum acquired in 1 second at high count rates.

Figure 7. Solder spectrum taken in 1 second (1 µs peaking time) with the FAST SDD®.

FAST SDD multielement X-ray spectrum showing detector performance at count rates up to 1 Mcps.

Figure 8. Multielement standard taken with the FAST SDD® at different count rates up to 1 Mcps.

Space Exploration Application

NICER attached to the ISS The Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) is an International Space Station (ISS) payload devoted to the study of neutron stars through soft X-ray timing. The heart of the instrument is an aligned collection of 56 Amptek silicon drift detectors (SDD) with C Series Windows and X-ray “concentrator” optics (XRC) pairs. Each XRC collects X-rays over a large geometric area from a roughly 30 arcmin2 region of the sky and focuses them onto a small SDD. The Amptek FAST SDD® detects individual photons, recording their energies with good (few percent) spectral resolution and their detection times to an unprecedented 100 nanoseconds RMS relative to Universal Time. Together, this assemblage provides a high signal-to-noise-ratio photon-counting capability within the 0.2-12 keV X-ray band, perfectly matched to the typical spectra of neutron stars as well as a broad collection of other astrophysical sources.

For an overview of the NICER mission, please see this presentation.

FAST SDD detector system used in the NICER space exploration mission aboard the International Space Station.

NICER attached to the ISS

Mechanicals

Amptek SDD detector geometry diagram with collimator, detector, and cooler.

Detector Type	Area/Thickness	R_det (mm)	A_det (mm²)	R_coll (mm)	A_coll (mm²)	L_coll (mm)	L_det (mm)
SDD	25 mm²/500 µm	2.82	25.0	2.33	17.0	0.9	1.4
Si-PIN	6 mm²/500 µm	1.38	6.0	1.19	4.4	1.0	1.7
Si-PIN	13 mm²/500 µm	2.03	13.0	1.88	11.1	1.0	1.7
Si-PIN	25 mm²/500 µm	2.82	25.0	2.62	21.5	1.0	1.7

SDD Silicon Drift Detector-Obsolete

Product Details

Overview

Applications

Features

Typical Performance Characteristics

Performance

Specifications

Applications

Options Additional Info

Stainless Steel 316 Quantitative Analysis with FAST SDD®

Space Exploration Application

Mechanicals

History of XR-100 Resolution

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