EIGER: Extremly hIGh rate detEctoR

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EIGER is a Single-Photon Counting (SPC) pixel detector being developed at the Paul Scherrer Institut for synchrotron applications. In SPCs, the counter of a pixel is increased by one if the signal generated by the interaction of a photon with the sensitive part of the detector exceeds a set threshold. The possibility of setting the threshold according to the experimental conditions allows for background rejection.
Its working principle is similar to the PILATUS detector, with 5 times more pixels per unit area and a frame rate up to 100 times faster.

The detector group at PSI is currently in the production stage of many Eiger systems for synchrotron applications.

The basic unit system is the EIGER module, consisting of 500 kpixels of 75x75 um2 size, with a sensitive area of 8x4 cm^2.
The module has on board intelligence provided by 6 FPGAs and memories. This means that frames can be stored and summed before transferring them out of the detector through 2 Ethernet connectors.
In addition, count rate corrections could be performed on board on the single frames before summation.

The modules are building blocks of larger systems, where acquisition, readout and data transfer are performed in fully parallel mode i.e. the frame rate of the system is not dependent on the detector size.
We have produced a 1.5 M system which is now installed at the https://www.psi.ch/sls/csaxs at the Swiss Light Source and will serve as wide angle scattering detector.
The largest system we are producing is a 9M system, which will be used as a small angle scattering detector at the same beamline.

Picture of an EIGER module. The sensitive part has dimentions 8x4 cm^2.
Picture of an EIGER module. The sensitive part has dimentions 8x4 cm^2.
Picture of the 1.5M EIGER detector, consisting of three modules. The acquisition and readout are carried out in parallel with no effect on the frame rate of larger systems.
Picture of the 1.5M EIGER detector, consisting of three modules. The acquisition and readout are carried out in parallel with no effect on the frame rate of larger systems.
  • Pixel size 75x75 um^2
  • Noise: depending on settings but 70-200 e- (250-700 eV)
  • Sensitive to energies > 2.5 keV
  • Pixel to pixel threshold inhomogenities: 70-150 eV
  • Counter depth: configurable in 4/8/12 bit mode.
  • Summing frames on board allows 32 bit depth counter
  • Countinuos applications possible: 4 us dead time between frames.
  • Frame rate: up to
    • 23 kHz in 4 bit, burst mode,
    • 7 kHz in 12 bit, burst mode
    • 2 kHz countinuos, 12 bit, 10 Gb Ethernet
    • 250 Hz continuos, 12 bit, 1 Gb Ethernet
  • Count rate capabilities: 0.2-0.7 MHz/pixel @ 90% linearity
  • Coherent diffractive imaging (CDI) and ptychography
  • Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXs)
  • Protein Crystallography (PX)
  • Xray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy (XPCS)

Results showing the performance of Eiger in ptychography can be found https://www.psi.ch/coherent-x-ray-scattering/fast-scanning-coherent-x-r…

The plots show the linear calibration of the threshold settings as a function of the photon energy for different preamplifier gain setting. By changing the preamplifier one is sensitive to different photon energies.
The plots show the linear calibration of the threshold settings as a function of the photon energy for different preamplifier gain setting. By changing the preamplifier one is sensitive to different photon energies.
Noise (measured in e-) for the different preamplifier settings. The noise is as low as 70 e- for high gains and 200 e- for lower gains.
Noise (measured in e-) for the different preamplifier settings. The noise is as low as 70 e- for high gains and 200 e- for lower gains.
Detected rate/pixel over incident rate/pixel. The detector becomes inefficient at high photon fluxes as the circuitry in the pixel is insensitive to the arrival of newer photons while the signal is still above threshold. The effect is more pronounced at higher gain as the signal stays longer above the threshold.
Detected rate/pixel over incident rate/pixel. The detector becomes inefficient at high photon fluxes as the circuitry in the pixel is insensitive to the arrival of newer photons while the signal is still above threshold. The effect is more pronounced at higher gain as the signal stays longer above the threshold.
Image of a floral composition collected with the 1.5M EIGER system, flat field corrected.
Image of a floral composition collected with the 1.5M EIGER system, flat field corrected.

Documentation

EIGER  
  • Tinti G, Fröjdh E, van Genderen E, Gruene T, Schmitt B, de Winter DAM, et al.
    Electron crystallography with the EIGER detector
    IUCrJ. 2018; 5(2): 190-199. https://doi.org/10.1107/S2052252518000945
    DORA PSI
  • Zinn T, Homs A, Sharpnack L, Tinti G, Fröjdh E, Douissard P-A, et al.
    Ultra-small-angle X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy using the Eiger detector
    Journal of Synchrotron Radiation. 2018; 25(6): 1753-1759. https://doi.org/10.1107/S1600577518013899
    DORA PSI
  • Tinti G, Marchetto H, Vaz CAF, Kleibert A, Andrä M, Barten R, et al.
    The EIGER detector for low-energy electron microscopy and photoemission electron microscopy
    Journal of Synchrotron Radiation. 2017; 24(5): 963-974. https://doi.org/10.1107/S1600577517009109
    DORA PSI
  • Tinti G, Bergamaschi A, Cartier S, Dinapoli R, Greiffenberg D, Johnson I, et al.
    Performance of the EIGER single photon counting detector
    Journal of Instrumentation. 2015; 10(3): C03011 (8 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/10/03/C03011
    DORA PSI
  • Tinti G, Bergamaschi A, Cartier S, Dinapoli R, Greiffenberg D, Horisberger R, et al.
    Similarities and differences of recent hybrid pixel detectors for X-ray and high energy physics developed at the Paul Scherrer Institut
    Journal of Instrumentation. 2015; 10: C04043 (7 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/10/04/C04043
    DORA PSI
  • Guizar-Sicairos M, Johnson I, Diaz A, Holler M, Karvinen P, Stadler H-C, et al.
    High-throughput ptychography using Eiger: scanning X-ray nano-imaging of extended regions
    Optics Express. 2014; 22(12): 14859-14870. https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.22.014859
    DORA PSI
  • Johnson I, Bergamaschi A, Billich H, Cartier S, Dinapoli R, Greiffenberg D, et al.
    Eiger: a single-photon counting x-ray detector
    Journal of Instrumentation. 2014; 9(5): C05032 (8 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/9/05/C05032
    DORA PSI
  • Dinapoli R, Bergamaschi A, Greiffenberg D, Henrich B, Horisberger R, Johnson I, et al.
    EIGER characterization results
    Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment. 2013; 731: 68-73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2013.04.047
    DORA PSI
  • Johnson I, Bergamaschi A, Buitenhuis J, Dinapoli R, Greiffenberg D, Henrich B, et al.
    Capturing dynamics with Eiger, a fast-framing X-ray detector
    Journal of Synchrotron Radiation. 2012; 19(6): 1001-1005. https://doi.org/10.1107/S0909049512035972
    DORA PSI
  • Radicci V, Bergamaschi A, Dinapoli R, Greiffenberg D, Henrich B, Johnson I, et al.
    EIGER a new single photon counting detector for X-ray applications: performance of the chip
    Journal of Instrumentation. 2012; 7(2): C02019 (10 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/7/02/C02019
    DORA PSI
  • Dinapoli R, Bergamaschi A, Henrich B, Horisberger R, Johnson I, Mozzanica A, et al.
    EIGER: Next generation single photon counting detector for X-ray applications
    Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment. 2011; 650(1): 79-83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2010.12.005
    DORA PSI
  • Lehmann EH, Tremsin A, Grünzweig C, Johnson I, Boillat P, Josic L
    Neutron imaging - detector options in progress
    Journal of Instrumentation. 2011; 6(1): C01050 (15 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/6/01/C01050
    DORA PSI
Person Position Phone Nr. Email
Dr. Lars Erik Fröjd
Scientist
+41 56 310 32 68
erik.froejdh@psi.ch

Contact

Dr. Bernd Schmitt
Group Leader Detector Engineering
Paul Scherrer Institut
5232 Villigen-PSI
Switzerland

Telephone: +41 56 310 2314
E-mail: bernd.schmitt@psi.ch

Dr. Anna Bergamaschi
Group Leader Detector Science and Characterization
Paul Scherrer Institute
Forschungsstrasse 111
5232 Villigen PSI
Switzerland

Telephone: +41 56 310 32 27
E-mail: anna.bergamaschi@psi.ch

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