Performance characteristics of a gas scintillation spectrometer for X-ray astronomy

The determination of the optimum electrical parameters of a spherical electric field gas scintillation spectrometer for X-ray astronomy is described. Detailed measurements using a collimated 55Fe 5.9 keV X-ray source are presented leading to trade-offs of drift field, shaping and scintillation field in an endeavour to provide a uniform response in terms of energy and time resolution over the full aperture of 314 cm2. The optimized uncollimated energy resolution at 6 and 60 keV was 11.0 and 4.5% fwhm respectively. The total background rejection efficiency for 60Co gamma ray induced events was 97 and 70% in the energy range 1–10 and 1–60 keV respectively. Finally design improvements which yield and energy resolution as low as 7.5%K at 6 keV are outlined.