Particle detection with PNCCDs

A PNCCD is successfully operating as one of the focal plane CCDs aboard the satellite XMM-Newton. An advanced version of this kind of CCDs will be the sensing devices for the eROSITA X-ray astronomy mission. These fully depleted CCDs are developed and manufactured at the MaxPlanck-Institute Semiconductor Lab together with the company PNSensor. Their performance features make them useful in a variety of measurement situations in addition to the astronomical ones. Applications range from photon detection (e.g. optical wave front sensors, cameras for X-ray free electron lasers) to charged particle detection of e.g. electrons, protons, and alpha particles. First tests have been performed for using a PNCCD in a transmission electron microscope (TEM). Alpha particles of an ²⁴¹Am radioactive source are used for generating large signal electron clouds for diagnostic purposes. Finally, protons have been used in a radiation hardness test. These three applications will be described and discussed. The prospect of resolving space and energy of each particle in combination with ~100% efficiency makes the PNCCD especially suitable for low flux applications e.g. examining sensitive samples in a TEM.