The High Energy X-ray telescope (HE) onboard the Insight-HXMT astronomy satellite

Abstract

The Insight-Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope (Insight-HXMT) is a broad band X-ray and gamma-ray (1-3000 keV) astronomy satellite. The High Energy X-ray telescope (HE) is one of its three main telescopes. The main detector plane of HE is composed of 18 NaI(Tl)/CsI(Na) phoswich detectors, where NaI(Tl) serves as primary detector to measure ~ 20-250 keV photons incident from the field of view (FOV) defined by the collimators, and CsI(Na) is used as an active shield detector to NaI(Tl) by pulse shape discrimination. CsI(Na) is also used as an omnidirectional gamma-ray monitor. The HE collimators have a diverse FOV: 1.1°x 5.7° (15 units), 5.7°x 5.7° (2 units) and blocked (1 unit), thus the combined FOV of HE is about 5.7°x 5.7°. Each HE detector has a diameter of 190 mm, resulting in the total geometrical area of about 5100 cm 2 . The energy resolution is ~15% at 60 keV. The timing accuracy is better than 10 μs and dead-time for each detector is less than 10 μs. HE is devoted to observe the spectra and temporal variability of X-ray sources in the 20-250 keV band either by pointing observations for known sources or scanning observations to unveil new sources, and to monitor the gamma-ray sky in 0.2-3 MeV. This paper presents the design and performance of the HE instruments. Results of the on-ground calibration experiments are also reported.

Identification of a non-thermal X-ray burst with the Galactic magnetar SGR J1935+2154 and a fast radio burst using Insight-HXMT

“…It has an altitude of 550 km and an inclination of 43 degrees. As a broadband X-ray (1-250 keV) observatory, Insight-HXMT consists of three telescopes, i.e., the High Energy X-ray telescope (HE) using 18 NaI(Tl)/CsI(Na) phoswich scintillation detectors for 20-250 keV33 , the Medium Energy X-ray telescope (ME) using 1728 Si-PIN detectors for 5-30 keV34 , and the Low…”

Recent Progress, Challenges, and Prospects in Two-Dimensional Photo-Catalyst Materials and Environmental Remediation

“…Its photo-catalytic effectiveness is restricted through poor light harvesting effectiveness and quick recombination of photogenerated charge carriers. Combining vis-active ZnIn 2 S 4 2D-NSs, the above shortcomings were overcome based on 1 3 hetero-junction contact interface that can persuade proficient interfacial transfer of photo-generated (e − -h + ) from g-C because of its engineering molecular structures [272]. To remove limitation of single-element polymer with inadequate E 0 , 2D/2D polymer hetero-junction photo-catalysts with Z-scheme configuration were designed from imitating two-step excitation way of plants, where light-driven two half reactions of H 2 O splitting and glucose formation are divided spatially [273].…”

“…In recent times, polymers were supposed to be one of the potential alternatives in photo-catalytic overall H 2 O splitting because of its engineering molecular structures [ 272 ]. To remove limitation of single-element polymer with inadequate E 0 , 2D/2D polymer hetero-junction photo-catalysts with Z-scheme configuration were designed from imitating two-step excitation way of plants, where light-driven two half reactions of H 2 O splitting and glucose formation are divided spatially [ 273 ].…”

Methodology and performance of the two-year galactic plane scanning survey of Insight-HXMT

“…ME is composed of three detector boxes with the Si-PIN detector arrays (Cao et al 2020). HE consists of 18 NaI(Tl)/CsI(Na) phoswich detectors (Liu et al 2020). All the instruments are collimated telescopes and mainly composed of the detectors with three small filed of views (FOVs) differing by 60 • .…”