Demonstration of Athena X-IFU Compatible 40-Row Time-Division-Multiplexed Readout

Abstract

Time-division multiplexing (TDM) is the backup readout technology for the X-ray Integral Field Unit (X-IFU), a 3,168-pixel X-ray transition-edge sensor (TES) array that will provide imaging spectroscopy for ESA's Athena satellite mission. X-0IFU design studies are considering readout with a multiplexing factor of up to 40. We present data showing 40-row TDM readout (32 TES rows + 8 repeats of the last row) of TESs that are of the same type as those being planned for X-IFU, using measurement and analysis parameters within the ranges specified for X-IFU. Singlecolumn TDM measurements have best-fit energy resolution of (1.91 ± 0.01) eV for the Al Kα complex (1.5 keV), (2.10 ± 0.02) eV for Ti Kα (4.5 keV), (2.23 ± 0.02) eV for Mn Kα (5.9 keV), (2.40 ± 0.02) eV for Co Kα (6.9 keV), and (3.44 ± 0.04) eV for Br Kα (11.9 keV). Three-column measurements have best-fit resolution of (2.03 ± 0.01) eV for Ti Kα and (2.40 ± 0.01) eV for Co Kα. The degradation due to the multiplexed readout ranges from 0.1 eV at the lower end of the energy range to 0.5 eV at the higher end. The demonstrated performance meets X-IFU's energy-resolution and energy-range requirements. True 40-row TDM readout, without repeated rows, of kilopixel scale arrays of X-IFU-like TESs is now under development.