Soft X-Ray Detection Down to the Nitrogen K-Edge Using a Pixelated iLGAD Sensor

Abstract

Hybrid pixel detectors represent the state-of-the-art technology for hard X-ray experiments at synchrotron light sources and free-electron lasers, owing to their high frame rates, extended dynamic range, and scalable detection areas. However, their application in the soft X-ray regime remains bottlenecked by the challenge of developing a sensor that can achieve high quantum efficiency and an sufficient signal-to-noise ratio at low photon energies. Here, we present inverse low-gain avalanche diode (iLGAD) sensors integrated with a thin entrance window, demonstrating single-photon resolution down to 390 eV (below the Nitrogen K-edge) with a signal-to-noise ratio of 5. Two gain layer designs, standard gain layer and shallow gain layer, were systematically investigated to evaluate their spectral response as a function of photon energy and operating temperature. A double-peak feature is observed in the energy spectrum, arising from the dependence of charge multiplication on photon absorption depth. Furthermore, a phenomenological spectral fitting model was established, enabling the quantitative extraction of the effective $\mathrm{n}^+$ layer thickness and gain layer depth. Beyond providing a fundamental understanding of iLGAD charge multiplication mechanisms and characterization results in the soft X-ray regime, these findings lay the foundation for developing large-area, high-frame-rate hybrid pixel detectors for soft X-ray. This advancement directly benefits soft X-ray photon science applications, including high-resolution ptychography, spectroscopy, and resonant scattering at synchrotron and FEL beamlines.