A pixel read-out chip for the PILATUS project

For the protein crystallography beamlime of the Swiss Light Source (SLS), which will be operational in summer 2001, the PILATUS detector (PIxeL ApparaTUs for the SLS) is currently being built. The goal of the PILATUS project is a hybrid pixel system with a size of 40×40 cm2 having 2000×2000 pixels. The detector will be operated in single photon counting mode for 12 keV X-rays. The prototype pixel read-out chip has a noise of 75 e− with sensor, a low threshold dispersion and a maximum count rate of 1 MHz/pixel. Due to the expected radiation dose in operation at the beamline, the chip is designed in radiation hard DMILL technology.