Characterization of the PILATUS photon-counting pixel detector for X-ray energies from 1.75 keV to 60 keV

The PILATUS detector module was characterized in the PTB laboratory at BESSY II comparing modules with 320. m thick and newly developed 450. m and 1000. m thick silicon sensors. Measurements were carried out over a wide energy range, in-vacuum from 1.75 keV to 8.8 keV and in air from 8 keV to 60 keV. The quantum efficiency (QE) was measured as a function of energy and the spatial resolution was measured at several photon energies both in terms of the modulation transfer function (MTF) from edge profile measurements and by directly measuring the point spread function (PSF) of a single pixel in a raster scan with a pinhole beam. Independent of the sensor thickness, the measured MTF and PSF come close to those for an ideal pixel detector with the pixel size of the PILATUS detector (172 x 172 mu m(2)). The measured QE follows the values predicted by calculation. Thicker sensors significantly enhance the QE of the PILATUS detectors for energies above 10 keV without impairing the spatial resolution and noise-free detection. In-vacuum operation of the PILATUS detector is possible at energies as low as 1.75 keV.