The XRS microcalorimeter spectrometer at the Livermore electron beam ion trap

Abstract

NASA’s X-ray spectrometer (XRS) microcalorimeter instrument has been operating at the electron beam ion trap (EBIT) facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory since July of 2000. The spectrometer is currently undergoing its third major upgrade to become an easy to use and extremely high-performance instrument for a broad range of EBIT experiments. The spectrometer itself is broadband, capable of simultaneously operating from 0.1 to 12 keV and has been operated at up to 100 keV by manipulating its operating conditions. The spectral resolution closely follows the spaceflight version of the XRS, beginning at 10 eV FWHM at 6 keV in 2000, upgraded to 5.5 eV in 2003, and will hopefully be ~3.8 eV in the fall of 2007. Here we review the operating principles of this unique instrument, the extraordinary science that has been performed at EBIT over the last six years, and prospects for future upgrades. Specifically, we discuss upgrades to cover the high-energy band (to at least 100 keV) with a high quantum efficiency detector and prospects for using a new superconducting detector to reach 0.8 eV resolution at 1 keV and 2 eV at 6 keV with high counting rates. PACS Nos.: 52.25.Os, 52.70.La, 95.85.Nv, 32.30.Rj, 07.85.Fv, 78.70.En