Phonon-mediated distributed transition-edge-sensor X-ray detectors for surveys of galaxy clusters and the warm-hot interstellar medium

We are developing a novel phonon-mediated distributed-TES X-ray detector in which X-rays are absorbed in a large germanium or silicon crystal, and the energy is read out by four distributed TESs. This design takes advantage of existing TES technology while overcoming the difficulties of designing spatially large arrays. The sum of the four TES signals will yield energy resolution of E / δ E ∼ 1000 and the partitioning of energy between the four will yield position resolution of X / δ X and Y / δ Y ∼ 100 . These macropixels, with advances in multiplexing, could be close-packed into 30 × 30 arrays equivalent to imaging instruments of 10 megapixels or more. We report on our progress to date and discuss its application to galaxy cluster searches and studies of the Warm-Hot Interstellar Medium.