Development of an X-ray polarimeter at the SOLEIL Synchrotron

TL;DR

This paper presents a portable X-ray polarimeter designed to accurately measure the polarization of synchrotron radiation beams, validated through simulations and experiments at the SOLEIL Synchrotron.

Contribution

A novel portable X-ray polarimeter using a Silicon Drift Detector and Geant4 simulations for precise polarization measurements at synchrotron facilities.

Findings

Excellent agreement between simulations and experimental data

Validated the polarimeter's accuracy in determining beam polarization

Enabled precise polarization measurements at the SOLEIL Synchrotron

Abstract

Synchrotron radiation facilities provide highly polarized X-ray beams across a wide energy range. However, the exact type and degree of polarization varies according to the beamline and experimental setup. To accurately determine the angle and degree of linear polarization, a portable X-ray polarimeter has been developed. This setup consists of a Silicon Drift Detector that rotates around a target made of high-density polyethylene. The imprint generated in the angular distribution of scattered photons at a 90-degree angle from the target has been exploited to determine the beam polarization. Measurements were conducted at the GALAXIES beamline of the SOLEIL Synchrotron. The expected angular distribution of the scattered photons for a given beam polarization was obtained through simulations using the Geant4 simulation toolkit. An excellent agreement between simulations and the collected data has been obtained, validating the setup and enabling a precise determination of the beam polarization.