The design and qualification of the GEMS X-ray polarimeters

J. E. Hill; R. G Baker; J. K. Black; M. J. Browne; W. H. Baumgartner; E. M. Caldwell; J. D. Cantwell; A. Davies; A. B. Desai; P. L. Dickens; N. K. Dobson; R. L. Foxwell; A. S. Francomacaro; D. Gall; K. J. Gregory; S. Griffiths; A. Hayato; R. O. Hampshire; T. Hwang; M. D. Jhabvala; K. Jahoda; P. Kaaret; S. J. Lehtonen; N. F. Martin; J. S. Mohammed; K. Montt de Garcia; A. Morell; D. S. Nolan; R. E. Russell; M. A. Sampson; J. A. Sanders; K. Simms; M. J. Singer; J. H. Swank; T. Tamagawa; A. Weaver; S. N. Yerushalmi; J. J. Xu

doi:10.1117/12.928435

17 September 2012 The design and qualification of the GEMS x-ray polarimeters

J. E. Hill, R. G Baker, J. K. Black, M. J. Browne, W. H. Baumgartner, E. M. Caldwell, J. D. Cantwell, A. Davies, A. B. Desai, P. L. Dickens, N. K. Dobson, R. L. Foxwell, A. S. Francomacaro, D. Gall, K. J. Gregory, S. Griffiths, A. Hayato, R. O. Hampshire, T. Hwang, M. D. Jhabvala , K. Jahoda, P. Kaaret, S. J. Lehtonen, N. F. Martin, J. S. Mohammed, K. Montt de Garcia, A. Morell, D. S. Nolan, R. E. Russell, M. A. Sampson, J. A. Sanders, K. Simms, M. J. Singer, J. H. Swank, T. Tamagawa, A. Weaver, S. N. Yerushalmi, J. J. Xu

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 8443, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray; 84431Q (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.928435
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2012, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Abstract

The Gravity and Extreme Magnetism Small Explorer (GEMS) will realize its scientific objectives through high sensitivity linear X-ray polarization measurements in the 2-10 keV band. The GEMS X-ray polarimeters, based on the photoelectric effect, provide a strong polarization response with high quantum efficiency over a broad band-pass by a novel implementation of the time projection chamber (TPC). This paper will discuss the basic principles of the TPC polarimeter and describe the details of the mechanical and electrical design of the GEMS flight polarimeter. We will present performance measurements from two GEMS engineering test units in response to polarized and unpolarized X-rays and before and after thermal and vibration tests performed to demonstrate that the design is at a technology readiness level 6 (TRL-6).

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J. E. Hill, R. G Baker, J. K. Black, M. J. Browne, W. H. Baumgartner, E. M. Caldwell, J. D. Cantwell, A. Davies, A. B. Desai, P. L. Dickens, N. K. Dobson, R. L. Foxwell, A. S. Francomacaro, D. Gall, K. J. Gregory, S. Griffiths, A. Hayato, R. O. Hampshire, T. Hwang, M. D. Jhabvala , K. Jahoda, P. Kaaret, S. J. Lehtonen, N. F. Martin, J. S. Mohammed, K. Montt de Garcia, A. Morell, D. S. Nolan, R. E. Russell, M. A. Sampson, J. A. Sanders, K. Simms, M. J. Singer, J. H. Swank, T. Tamagawa, A. Weaver, S. N. Yerushalmi, and J. J. Xu "The design and qualification of the GEMS x-ray polarimeters", Proc. SPIE 8443, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 84431Q (17 September 2012); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.928435

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