VOXES, a new high resolution X-ray spectrometer for low yield measurements with diffused sources

TL;DR

The VOXES project develops a high-resolution, cost-effective X-ray spectrometer using HAPG crystals for low-yield, diffused sources, with applications across physics, medicine, and industry.

Contribution

It introduces a novel spectrometer prototype combining HAPG crystals with precision detectors for high energy resolution in a wide energy range.

Findings

Achieved energy resolution of a few eV for X-ray energies from 2 keV to tens of keV.

First measurement results of Cu Kα lines demonstrating spectrometer performance.

Potential applications in fundamental physics, synchrotron radiation, astronomy, and industry.

Abstract

The VOXES project's goal is to realize the first prototype of a high resolution and high precision X-ray spectrometer for diffused sources, using Highly Annealed Pyrolitic Graphite (HAPG) crystals combined with precision position detectors. The aim is to deliver a cost effective and easy to handle system having an energy resolution at the level of few eV for X-ray energies from about 2 keV up to tens of keV. There are many applications of the proposed spectrometer, going from fundamental physics (precision measurements of exotic atoms at DA$\Phi$NE collider and J-PARC, precision measurement of the $K^-$ mass solving the existing puzzle, quantum mechanics tests) to synchrotron radiation and applications (X-FEL), astronomy, medicine and industry. Here, the basic concept of such a spectrometer and the first results from a measurement of the characteristic Cu $K_{\alpha 1}$ and $K_{\alpha 2}$ X-ray lines are presented.