X-ray imaging polarimetry with a 2.5-$\mathrm{\mu}$m pixel CMOS sensor for visible light at room temperature

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that a small-pixel CMOS sensor designed for visible light can be effectively used for X-ray polarimetry at room temperature, achieving high spatial resolution and measurable polarization sensitivity.

Contribution

The study shows the successful application of a 2.5 μm pixel CMOS sensor, originally for visible light, as an X-ray polarimeter with notable energy resolution and polarization modulation capabilities.

Findings

Achieved 176 eV energy resolution at 5.9 keV at room temperature.

Measured modulation factors of 7.63% at 12.4 keV and 15.5% at 24.8 keV.

Demonstrated high spatial resolution in X-ray imaging and polarimetry.

Abstract

X-ray polarimetry in astronomy has not been exploited well, despite its importance. The recent innovation of instruments is changing this situation. We focus on a complementary MOS (CMOS) pixel detector with small pixel size and employ it as an x-ray photoelectron tracking polarimeter. The CMOS detector we employ is developed by GPixel Inc., and has a pixel size of 2.5 $\mathrm{\mu}$m $\times$ 2.5 $\mathrm{\mu}$m. Although it is designed for visible light, we succeed in detecting x-ray photons with an energy resolution of 176 eV (FWHM) at 5.9 keV at room temperature and the atmospheric condition. We measure the x-ray detection efficiency and polarimetry sensitivity by irradiating polarized monochromatic x-rays at BL20B2 in SPring-8, the synchrotron radiation facility in Japan. We obtain modulation factors of 7.63% $\pm$ 0.07% and 15.5% $\pm$ 0.4% at 12.4 keV and 24.8 keV, respectively. It demonstrates that this sensor can be used as an x-ray imaging spectrometer and polarimeter with the highest spatial resolution ever tested.