A large-area xenon gas scintillation proportional counters (GSPC) with timing information for the detection of low energy X-rays

A large area xenon gas scintillation proportional counter has been developed for the study of low energy X-rays. A time resolution of 40 ns (fwhm) at 5.5 keV was obtained by producing secondary scintillation light in the drift space. A simple model of the processes leading to secondary light production describes the measured time distributions and their energy dependence. The energy resolution at 5.9 keV was 8.8% (fwhm) for collimated X-rays. For a uniform irradiation over the sensitive area of 314 cm2, a resolution of 9.5% is obtained after correcting for the pulse height dependence on the position of X-ray absorption. The reduction of pulse height due to small H2O and O2 contaminations was measured. (orig.)