Linearity of the Double Gas Electron Multiplier (DGEM) as an X-ray Fluorescence Detector

Abstract

We have tested a 10 cm x 10 cm Double Gas Electron Multiplier (DGEM) fluorescence X-ray detector for linearity by making gradual decrease of the X-ray florescence entering the detectorobtained from a testsample. The X-ray fluorescence emitted by the sample and directed towards the detector is attenuated and transmitted byplacing multiple layers of identical Aluminum (Al) foil sheets on thedetector’s entrance window. The transmitted portion of the fluorescence passing through the Al foil layers ionizes the detecting gasand the ionized electrons are amplified by the DGEM. We have repeated the same experiment with no Al foils, and by adding one extra layer of identical Al foil for each separate scan up to five (5) foils. The normalized scans for a diluted prepared “Fe” sample, using Athena software, indicate that all the scans have good identical similarities. This shows that the DGEM detector is a linear detector with respect to the X-ray quantity reaching the DGEM detector.
DOI: 10.17762/ijritcc2321-8169.150821