A High Resolution Position Sensitive Detector for Ultraviolet and X-Ray Photons

A new type of position sensitive detection system for ultraviolet and x-ray photons and for particles is described. A compact laboratory model with one-dimensional readout was constructed and tested. The full width at half maximum response to single x-rays was typically 0.13 mm, but the position determination accuracy was comparable to the channel center-to-center spacing of 0.053 mm. The detection system can be readily adapted to two-dimensional readout. Potential applications of this device for single-photon and flux counting in ultraviolet and x-ray astronomy are discussed.