Development of an X-ray imaging microcalorimeter with a pixel-type Ir transition edge sensor

We are developing an X-ray microcalorimeter with high energy resolution and position sensitivity by using an Iridium transition edge sensor. The Ir-TES with a new pixel-type geometry has ten small pixel TES array. Each pixel size is 80 mum x 200 mum. This device has shown a good energy resolution of 26 eV(FWHM) at 5.9 keV. Furthermore, the Ir-TES film was scanned along each pixel by a collimated X-ray microbeam and signal pulses were measured at each incident position. The pulse height and rise time map has shown ten different regions where pulses are concentrated which correspond to each pixel. This might be useful for an imaging TES array. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.