Development of a hard x-ray focal plane compton polarimeter: a compact polarimetric configuration with scintillators and Si photomultipliers

X-ray polarization measurement of cosmic sources provides two unique parameters namely degree and angle of polarization which can probe the emission mechanism and geometry at close vicinity of the compact objects. Specifically, the hard X-ray polarimetry is more rewarding because the sources are expected to be intrinsically highly polarized at higher energies. With the successful implementation of Hard X-ray optics in NuSTAR, it is now feasible to conceive Compton polarimeters as focal plane detectors. Such a configuration is likely to provide sensitive polarization measurements in hard X-rays with a broad energy band. We are developing a focal plane hard X-ray Compton polarimeter consisting of a plastic scintillator as active scatterer surrounded by a cylindrical array of CsI(Tl) scintillators. The scatterer is 5 mm diameter and 100 mm long plastic scintillator (BC404) viewed by normal PMT. The photons scattered by the plastic scatterer are collected by a cylindrical array of 16 CsI(Tl) scintillators (5 mm × 5 mm × 150 mm) which are read by Si Photomultiplier (SiPM). Use of the new generation SiPMs ensures the compactness of the instrument which is essential for the design of focal plane detectors. The expected sensitivity of such polarimetric configuration and complete characterization of the plastic scatterer, specially at lower energies have been discussed in [11, 13]. In this paper, we characterize the CsI(Tl) absorbers coupled to SiPM. We also present the experimental results from the fully assembled configuration of the Compton polarimeter.     

Optimization of the design of the hard X-ray polarimeter X-Calibur

We report on the optimization of the hard X-ray polarimeter X-Calibur for a high-altitude balloon-flight in the focal plane of the InFOCμS X-ray telescope from Fort Sumner (NM) in Fall 2013. X-Calibur combines a low-Z scintillator slab to Compton-scatter photons with a high-Z Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) detector assembly to photo-absorb the scattered photons. The detector makes use of the fact that polarized photons Compton scatter preferentially perpendicular to the electric field orientation. X-Calibur achieves a high detection efficiency of order unity and reaches a sensitivity close to the best theoretically possible. In this paper, we discuss the optimization of the design of the instrument based on Monte Carlo simulations of polarized and unpolarized X-ray beams and of the most important background components. We calculate the sensitivity of the polarimeter for the upcoming balloon flight from Fort Sumner and for additional longer balloon flights with higher throughput mirrors. We conclude by emphasizing that Compton polarimeters on satellite borne missions can be used down to energies of a few keV.     

Characterization of scatterers for an active focal plane Compton polarimeter

In this work we present an active Compton scattering polarimeter as a focal plane instrument able to extend the X-ray polarimetry towards hard X-rays.Other authors have already studied various instrument design by means of Monte Carlo simulations, in this work we will show for the first time the experimental measurements of “tagging efficiency” aimed to evaluate the polarimeter sensitivity as a function of energy. We performed a characterization of different scattering materials by measuring the tagging efficiency that was used as an input to the Monte Carlo simulation. Then we calculated the sensitivity to polarization of a design based on the laboratory set-up. Despite the geometry tested is not optimized for a realistic focal plane instrument, we demonstrated the feasibility of polarimetry with a low energy threshold of 20 keV. Moreover we evaluated a minimum detectable polarization of 10% for a 10 mCrab source in 100 ks between 20 and 80 keV in the focal plane of one multilayer optics module of NuSTAR. The configuration used consisted of a doped p-terphenyl scatterer 3 cm long and 0.7 cm of diameter coupled with a 0.2 cm thick LaBr₃ absorber.     

Dichroic Filters For Astronomical X-Ray Polarimetry

We describe a programme of research to investigate materials which exhibit linear dichroism at X-ray wavelengths, and to assess their potential as astronomical X-ray polarimeters. The availability of polarising filters for X-rays would offer an efficient method of quantifying the polarisation of X-ray radiation from distant, cosmic sources. A polarising dichroic filter is expected to be a compact, low mass device which could add polarimetry capability to an instrument by being introduced into the optical path ahead of a detector. We provide estimates of sensitivity in the context of the proposed XEUS observatory, which compare favourably with those for the most promising alternative technology. We also discuss a number of astrophysical sources which are suited to polarimetric study at discrete energies offered by the X-ray dichroic filter design.     

Optimising a balloon-borne polarimeter in the hard X-ray domain: From the PoGOLite Pathfinder to PoGO+

PoGOLite is a balloon-borne hard X-ray polarimeter dedicated to the study of point sources. Compton scattered events are registered using an array of plastic scintillator units to determine the polarisation of incident X-rays in the energy range 20–240 keV. In 2013, a near circumpolar balloon flight of 14 days duration was completed after launch from Esrange, Sweden, resulting in a measurement of the linear polarisation of the Crab emission. Building on the experience gained from this Pathfinder flight, the polarimeter is being modified to improve performance for a second flight in 2016. Such optimisations, based on Geant4 Monte Carlo simulations, take into account the source characteristics, the instrument response and the background environment which is dominated by atmospheric neutrons. This paper describes the optimisation of the polarimeter and details the associated increase in performance. The resulting design, PoGO+, is expected to improve the Minimum Detectable Polarisation (MDP) for the Crab from 19.8% to 11.1% for a 5 day flight. Assuming the same Crab polarisation fraction as measured during the 2013 flight, this improvement in MDP will allow a 5σ constrained result. It will also allow the study of the nebula emission only (Crab off-pulse) and Cygnus X-1 if in the hard state.     

Hard X-ray imaging with microchannel plate optics

We investigate, by ray-trace simulation, two hard X-ray telescopes based on microchannel plate (MCP) optics. The first is the, by now well known, lobster-eye geometry, while the second is a novel design. The second design uses a pair of MCPs with square channels packed in a radial fashion and represents a conical approximation to the Wolter type I configuration. We show that such telescopes can provide X-ray imaging at energies up to 100 keV. Effective area may be scaled arbitrarily by co-aligning many MCP optics. As an example, we calculate that 50 parallel Wolter I units each of 60 mm diameter and 5 m focal length yield a sensitivity of 1 milli Crab at 45 keV in a 105 second integration.     

An investigation of the Eigenvalue Calibration Method (ECM) using GASP for non-imaging and imaging detectors

Polarised light from astronomical targets can yield a wealth of information about their source radiation mechanisms, and about the geometry of the scattered light regions. Optical observations, of both the linear and circular polarisation components, have been impeded due to non-optimised instrumentation. The need for suitable observing conditions and the availability of luminous targets are also limiting factors. The science motivation of any instrument adds constraints to its operation such as high signal-to-noise (SNR) and detector readout speeds. These factors in particular lead to a wide range of sources that have yet to be observed. The Galway Astronomical Stokes Polarimeter (GASP) has been specifically designed to make observations of these sources. GASP uses division of amplitude polarimeter (DOAP) (Compain and Drevillon Appl. Opt. 37, 5938–5944, 1998) to measure the four components of the Stokes vector (I, Q, U and V) simultaneously, which eliminates the constraints placed upon the need for moving parts during observation, and offers a real-time complete measurement of polarisation. Results from the GASP calibration are presented in this work for both a 1D detector system, and a pixel-by-pixel analysis on a 2D detector system. Following Compain et al. (Appl. Opt. 38, 3490–3502 1999) we use the Eigenvalue Calibration Method (ECM) to measure the polarimetric limitations of the instrument for each of the two systems. Consequently, the ECM is able to compensate for systematic errors introduced by the calibration optics, and it also accounts for all optical elements of the polarimeter in the output. Initial laboratory results of the ECM are presented, using APD detectors, where errors of 0.2 % and 0.1° were measured for the degree of linear polarisation (DOLP) and polarisation angle (PA) respectively. Channel-to-channel image registration is an important aspect of 2-D polarimetry. We present our calibration results of the measured Mueller matrix of each sample, used by the ECM, when 2 Andor iXon Ultra 897 detectors were loaned to the project. A set of Zenith flat-field images were recorded during an observing campaign at the Palomar 200 inch telescope in November 2012. From these we show the polarimetric errors from the spatial polarimetry indicating both the stability and absolute accuracy of GASP.     

Simulated performance of dedicated Ge-strip Compton telescopes as γ-lens focal plane instrumentation

With focusing of gamma rays in the nuclear-line energy regime starting to establish itself as a feasible and very promising approach for high-sensitivity γ-ray (line) studies of individual sources, optimizing the focal plane instrumentation for γ-ray lens telescopes is a prime concern. Germanium detectors offer the best energy resolution available at ∼2 keV FWHM at 1 MeV and thus constitute the detector of choice for a spectroscopy mission in the MeV energy range. Using a Compton detector focal plane has three advantages over monolithic detectors: additional knowledge about (Compton) events enhances background rejection capabilities, the inherently finely pixellated detector naturally allows the selection of events according to the focal spot size and position, and Compton detectors are inherently sensitive to γ-ray polarization. We use the extensive simulation and analysis package assembled for the ACT vision mission study to explore achievable sensitivities for different Ge Compton focal plane configurations as a first step towards determining an optimum configuration.CBW thanks the Townes Fellowship at UCB and NASA Grant NNG05WC28G for Support.     

Joint Effects of Compton Backscattering and Low-Energy Cutoff on the Flattening of Solar Hard X-Ray Spectra at Lower Energies

Theoretical calculation has shown that the spectrum of the Compton backscattering component in solar hard X-ray flares has a peak around 30 keV for a primary power-law source. Thus the superposition of the Compton backscattering component could cause a photon spectrum received at the Earth to be flattened below the peak energy and steeper above the peak energy. On the other hand, because a thick-target bremsstrahlung photon with a given energy E only could be produced by a nonthermal electron with an energy larger than E, thus if a power-law electron spectrum is cutoff below an energy E _c, then the produced photon spectrum will become flattened below E _c. In this work we present a calculation of the joint effects of the Compton backscattering and the low-energy cutoff on the spectral characteristics of the received solar hard X-ray in the energy range 10–100 keV. The results show that the flattening caused purely by the Compton backscattering could be comparable with that by the low-energy cutoff for hard spectra. So, it is obvious that the joint effects of the low-energy cutoff and the Compton backscattering could result in the received photon spectra to be much more flattened at lower energies. On the other hand, compared to the primary photon spectrum, the received photon spectral index will increase about 0.15 due to the Compton backscattering at higher energy, which seems independent of the primary spectral index.     

High-energy solar capabilities of approved space missions

Several instruments on approved space missions will provide coverage of energetic solar flare activity during the next solar maximum. However, only Japan's SOLAR-A is dedicated to observations of solar activity. These planned experiments will provide significant improvements in detection sensitivity for gamma rays and neutrons, generally using similar detection techniques to those employed previously. Improvements in the temporal resolution of energetic flare phenomena will also be realized, but with generally sporadic solar coverage. Important capabilities critically required for advancing our understanding of the solar flare phenomenon, such as dedicated high-resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy, imaging hard X-ray and low-energy gamma-ray detectors, polarimeters, and dedicated high-efficiency neutron detectors, are not included on any of the approved missions.     

The Imaging Magnetograph eXperiment (IMaX) for?the?Sunrise Balloon-Borne Solar Observatory

The Imaging Magnetograph eXperiment (IMaX) is a spectropolarimeter built by four institutions in Spain that flew on board the Sunrise balloon-borne solar observatory in June 2009 for almost six days over the Arctic Circle. As a polarimeter, IMaX uses fast polarization modulation (based on the use of two liquid crystal retarders), real-time image accumulation, and dual-beam polarimetry to reach polarization sensitivities of 0.1%. As a spectrograph, the instrument uses a LiNbO₃ etalon in double pass and a narrow band pre-filter to achieve a spectral resolution of 85 mÅ. IMaX uses the high-Zeeman-sensitive line of Fe i at 5250.2 Å and observes all four Stokes parameters at various points inside the spectral line. This allows vector magnetograms, Dopplergrams, and intensity frames to be produced that, after reconstruction, reach spatial resolutions in the 0.15??C?0.18 arcsec range over a 50×50 arcsec field of view. Time cadences vary between 10 and 33 s, although the shortest one only includes longitudinal polarimetry. The spectral line is sampled in various ways depending on the applied observing mode, from just two points inside the line to 11 of them. All observing modes include one extra wavelength point in the nearby continuum. Gauss equivalent sensitivities are 4 G for longitudinal fields and 80 G for transverse fields per wavelength sample. The line-of-sight velocities are estimated with statistical errors of the order of 5??C?40 m?s^?1. The design, calibration, and integration phases of the instrument, together with the implemented data reduction scheme, are described in some detail.     

成像硬X射线望远镜在美国和欧洲的发展

硬X射线能带 (2 0KeV～ 1MeV)是我们了解天体物理中高能辐射过程的一个好窗口。成像硬X射线望远镜可以提供更好的分辨率和灵敏度来研究硬X射线天体物理学。本文介绍了成像硬X射线望远镜在美国和欧洲的发展 ,这包括 :1 )EXITE2 ,由美国哈佛———史密松林天体物理中心设计和运行的一个光电开关成像硬X射线望远镜 ;2 )EXIST ,一个成像硬X射线全天巡天望远镜 ,将于 2 0 1 0年由ULDB (EXIST -LINE)或国际空间站 (EXIST -ISS)承载 ;3)HERO ,由NASA/MSFC建造的一个新的硬X射线光学仪器。     

PheniX: a new vision for the hard X-ray sky

We are proposing a mission devoted to high energy X-ray astronomy that is based on a focusing telescope operating in the 1?C200?keV energy range but optimized for the hard X-ray range. The main scientific topics concern: Physics of compact objects: The proximity of compact objects provides a unique laboratory to study matter and radiation in extreme conditions of temperature and density in strong gravitational environment. The emission of high energy photons from these objects is far from being understood. The unprecedented sensitivity in the high energy domain will allow a precise determination of the non-thermal processes at work in the vicinity of compact objects. The full 1?C200?keV energy coverage will be ideal to disentangle the emission processes produced in the spacetime regions most affected by strong-gravity, as well as the physical links: disk?Cthermal emission?Ciron line?Ccomptonisation?Creflection?Cnon-thermal emission?Cjets. Neutron stars?Cmagnetic field?Ccyclotron lines: Time resolved spectroscopy (and polarimetry) at ultra-high sensitivity of AXP, milliseconds pulsars and magnetars will give new tools to study the role of the synchrotron processes at work in these objects. Cyclotron lines?Cdirect measurement of magnetic filed?Cequation of state constraints?Cshort bursts?Cgiant flares could all be studied with great details. AGN: The large sensitivity improvement will provide detailed spectral properties of the high energy emission of AGN??s. This will give a fresh look to the connection between accretion and jet emission and will provide a new understanding of the physical processes at work. Detection of high-redshift active nuclei in this energy range will allow to introduce an evolutionary aspect to high-energy studies of AGN, probing directly the origin of the Cosmic X-ray Background also in the non-thermal range (> 20?keV). Element formation?CSupernovae: The energy resolution achievable for this mission (<0.5?keV) and a large high energy effective area are ideally suited for the 44Ti line study (68 and 78?keV). This radioactive nuclei emission will give an estimate of their quantities and speed in their environment. In addition the study of the spatial structure and spectral emission of SNR will advance our knowledge of the dynamics of supernovae explosions, of particles acceleration mechanisms and how the elements are released in the interstellar medium. Instrumental design: The progress of X-ray focusing optics techniques allows a major step in the instrumental design: the collecting area becomes independent of the detection area. This drastically reduces the instrumental background and will open a new era. The optics will be based on depth-graded multi-layer mirrors in a Wolter I configuration. To obtain a significant effective area in the hundred of keV range a focal length in the 40?C50 meters range (attainable with a deployable mast) is needed. In addition such a mission could benefit from recent progress made on mirror coating. We propose to cover the 1?C200?keV energy range with a single detector, a double-sided Germanium strip detector operating at 80?K. The main features will be: (a) good energy resolution (.150?keV at 5?keV and <.5?keV at 100?keV), (b) 3 dimensional event localization with a low number of electronic chains, (c) background rejection by the 3D localization, (d) polarisation capabilities in the Compton regime.     

Cipher, A Polarimeter Telescope Concept for Hard X-Ray Astronomy

The polarisation of astrophysical source emission in the energy range from a few tens of keV up to the MeV region is an almost unexplored field of high-energy astrophysics. Till date, polarimetry in astrophysics–in the energy domain from hard X-rays up to soft γ-rays–has not been pursued due to the difficulties involved in obtaining sufficient sensitivity. Indeed for those few instruments that are capable of performing this type of measurement (e.g. the COMPTEL instrument on the Compton Gamma-ray Observatory and the IBIS instrument on INTEGRAL), polarimetry itself plays a secondary role in the mission objectives, as the efficiencies (0.5% and 10% maximum, respectively) and polarimetric Q factors (0.1 and 0.3, respectively) are relatively limited. In order to perform efficient polarimetric measurements for hard X-ray and soft gamma-ray sources, with an instrument of relatively robust and simple design, a CdTe based telescope (CIPHER: Coded Imager and Polarimeter for High Energy Radiation) is under study. This instrument is based on a thick (10 mm) CdTe position-sensitive spectrometer comprising four modules of 32 × 32 individual pixels, each with a surface area of 2 × 2 mm² (about 160 cm² total detection area). The polarimetric performance and design optimisation of the CIPHER detection surface have been studied by use of a Monte Carlo code. This detector, due to its intrinsic geometry, can allow efficient polarimetric measurements to be made between 100 keV and 1 MeV. In order to predict the polarimetric performance and to optimise the design and concept of the CIPHER detection plane, a Monte Carlo code based on GEANT4 library modules was developed to simulate the detector behaviour under a polarised photon flux. The Compton double event efficiency, as well bi-dimensional double event distribution maps and the corresponding polarimetric modulation factor will be presented and discussed. Modulation Q factors better than 0.50 and double event total efficiencies greater than 10% were calculated in the energy range between 100 keV and 1 MeV. Herein we will present and discuss the general problems that affect polarimetric measurements in space, such as the inclination of the source with respect to the telescope optical axis and background radiation. Q factor calculations for several beam inclinations as well as for background together with simulated astronomical sources will be presented and discussed.     

Compton scattered transition radiation from very high energy particles

X-ray transition radiation can be used to measure the Lorentz factor of relativistic particles. At energies approaching γ=E/mc²=10⁵, transition radiation detectors can be optimized by using thick (5–10 mil) foils with large (5–10 mm) spacings. This implies X-ray energies 100 keV and the use of scintillators as the X-ray detectors. Compton scattering of the X-rays out of the particle beam then becomes an important effect. We discuss the design of very high energy detectors, the use of metal radiator foils rather than the standard plastic foils, inorganic scintillators for detecting Compton scattered transition radiation, and the application to the ACCESS cosmic ray experiment.     

Hard X-ray imaging via focusing optics with mosaic crystals

In spite of the tremendous potential of hard X-ray astronomy (>10 keV) for studying high energy phenomena in celestial objects, the current generation of direct-viewing telescopes is heavily noise limited. It can accurately study only the strongest sources. Thus focusing of hard X-rays is mandatory in order to overcome these sensitivity limitations. Several focusing techniques of hard X-rays (>10 keV) are under study. We will discuss the Bragg diffraction technique and the imaging performance of a concentrator configuration based on this technique. Apart from its unprecedented flux sensitivity, the Bragg concentrators show intrinsic capabilities as polarimeters.     

Instruments of RT-2 experiment onboard CORONAS-PHOTON and their test and evaluation II: RT-2/CZT payload

Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) detectors are high sensitivity and high resolution devices for hard X-ray imaging and spectroscopic studies. The new series of CZT detector modules (OMS40G256) manufactured by Orbotech Medical Solutions (OMS), Israel, are used in the RT-2/CZT payload onboard the CORONAS-PHOTON satellite. The CZT detectors, sensitive in the energy range of 20 to 150 keV, are used to image solar flares in hard X-rays. Since these modules are essentially manufactured for commercial applications, we have carried out a series of comprehensive tests on these modules so that they can be confidently used in space-borne systems. These tests lead us to select the best three pieces of the ??Gold?? modules for the RT-2/CZT payload. This paper presents the characterization of CZT modules and the criteria followed for selecting the ones for the RT-2/CZT payload. The RT-2/CZT payload carries, along with three CZT modules, a high spatial resolution CMOS detector for high resolution imaging of transient X-ray events. Therefore, we discuss the characterization of the CMOS detector as well.     

The NHXM observatory

Exploration of the X-ray sky has established X-ray astronomy as a fundamental astrophysical discipline. While our knowledge of the sky below 10?keV has increased dramatically (??8 orders of magnitude) by use of grazing incidence optics, we still await a similar improvement above 10?keV, where to date only collimated instruments have been used. Also ripe for exploration is the field of X-ray polarimetry, an unused fundamental tool to understand the physics and morphology of X-ray sources. Here we present a novel mission, the New Hard X-ray Mission (NHXM) that brings together for the first time simultaneous high-sensitivity, hard-X-ray imaging, broadband spectroscopy and polarimetry. NHXM will perform groundbreaking science in key scientific areas, including: black hole cosmic evolution, census and accretion physics; acceleration mechanism and non-thermal emission; physics of matter under extreme conditions. NHXM is designed specifically to address these topics via: broad 0.5?C80 (120) keV band for imaging and spectroscopy; 20?arcsec (15 goal) Half Energy Width (HEW) angular resolution at 30?keV; sensitivity limits more than 3 orders of magnitude better than those available in present day instruments; broadband (2?C35?keV) imaging polarimetry. In addition, NHXM has the ability to locate and actively monitor sources in different states of activity and to repoint within 1 to 2?h. This mission has been proposed to ESA in response to the Cosmic Vision M3 call. Its satellite configuration and payload subsystems were studied as part of previous national efforts permitting us to design a mature configuration that is compatible with a VEGA launch already by 2020.     

Infrared Observations from the New Solar Telescope at Big Bear

The 1.6 m clear aperture solar telescope in Big Bear is operational and with its adaptive optics (AO) system it provides diffraction limited solar imaging and polarimetry in the near-infrared (NIR). While the AO system is being upgraded to provide diffraction limited imaging at bluer wavelengths, the instrumentation and observations are concentrated in the NIR. The New Solar Telescope (NST) operates in campaigns, making it the ideal ground-based telescope to provide complementary/supplementary data to SDO and Hinode. The NST makes photometric observations in Hα (656.3 nm) and TiO (705.6 nm) among other lines. As well, the NST collects vector magnetograms in the 1565 nm lines and is beginning such observations in 1083.0 nm. Here we discuss the relevant NST instruments, including AO, and present some results that are germane to NASA solar missions.