Abstract
We have developed the parallel plate imaging proportional counter to register images of cosmic X-ray sources in the focal planes of X-ray telescopes1,2. An important factor determining the sensitivity of such an instrument, particularly for extended source studies, is the background count rate induced in the detector by the interaction of charged particles such as cosmic rays. This background in wire anode proportional counters can be reduced by applying risetime discrimination to the charge pulse3. We report here that a modified version of the parallel plate imaging proportional counter has been constructed as shown in Fig. 1a, to investigate the application of risetime discrimination to the scintillation pulses caused by the electron avalanche process4. We show that efficient background event rejection (>90%) is achieved and discuss an application of this system for X-ray astronomy.
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Siegmund, O., Sanford, P., Mason, I. et al. Light from electron avalanches and background rejection in X-ray astronomy. Nature 287, 808–810 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1038/287808a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/287808a0
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