X-CSIT: a toolkit for simulating 2D pixel detectors

TL;DR

X-CSIT is a modular, open-source toolkit designed to simulate 2D X-ray pixel detectors, aiding in detector design, calibration, and experimental planning through detailed modeling of detector processes.

Contribution

It introduces a flexible, modular simulation platform specifically for 2D X-ray pixel detectors, integrating photon interactions, charge spreading, and electronics modeling.

Findings

Simulations will assist detector calibration at European XFEL.

X-CSIT is integrated into the Karabo software framework.

Open-source release enables wider community use.

Abstract

A new, modular toolkit for creating simulations of 2D X-ray pixel detectors, X-CSIT (X-ray Camera SImulation Toolkit), is being developed. The toolkit uses three sequential simulations of detector processes which model photon interactions, electron charge cloud spreading with a high charge density plasma model and common electronic components used in detector readout. In addition, because of the wide variety in pixel detector design, X-CSIT has been designed as a modular platform so that existing functions can be modified or additional functionality added if the specific design of a detector demands it. X-CSIT will be used to create simulations of the detectors at the European XFEL, including three bespoke 2D detectors: the Adaptive Gain Integrating Pixel Detector (AGIPD), Large Pixel Detector (LPD) and DePFET Sensor with Signal Compression (DSSC). These simulations will be used by the detector group at the European XFEL for detector characterisation and calibration. For this purpose, X-CSIT has been integrated into the European XFEL's software framework, Karabo. This will further make it available to users to aid with the planning of experiments and analysis of data. In addition, X-CSIT will be released as a standalone, open source version for other users, collaborations and groups intending to create simulations of their own detectors.