The LYNXEYE XE is a silicon strip 1-dimensional detector for X-ray powder diffraction provided by Bruker AXS GmbH. The detector can operate in several modes including 0D, 1D and 2D measurements. The detector shows active window 14.4 x 16 mm (along the scattering plane respectively perpendicular) and consists of 192 strips which acts as individual detectors. Each strip is 75 μm wide. Depending on the operational mode, one strip can detect up to 20.000 cps (high energy resolution) or 500.000 cps (high count rate), resulting in maximum global count rate of about 100.000.000 cps in 0-D mode and 90° detector orientation [1]. The maximum simultaneously covered 2θ range is 2.956° of 2θ in a case of 280 mm goniometer radius. It is a maintenance free detector without the need for counting gas, cooling water or liquid nitrogen. Operation with all common characteristic X-ray emission lines (Cr, Co, Cu, Mo and Ag) is supported.
Special feature of the LYNXEYE XE detector is good energy resolution of < 680 eV at 8 kV (Cu radiation) at 298K. Its energy resolution enables to perform diffraction measurements without secondary monochromators or Kβ filters. Equipped by 0°/90° mount, the detector can be used for 0D and 1D data collection (0° detector orientation), as well as 2D data collection (90° detector orientation). The detector also offers the Variable Active Detector Widow feature, which allows to suppress low angle background scattering. This is achieved by automatic software-controlled change of the active detector window size as a function of 2θ°.
Experience with the various applications of the detector in the field of powder X-ray diffraction will be discussed. A short comparison of the detector LYNXEYE XE with its predecessor LYNXEYE and its successor LYNXEYE XE-T mainly in terms of energy resolution will be also presented.
This work was supported by the internal project of the Czech Geological Survey, no. 332000.