A 36 CM(2) MONOLITHIC PN-CCD FOR X-RAY-DETECTION ON THE XMM AND ABRIXAS SATELLITES

X-ray sensitive CCDs with outstanding properties have been developed a nd produced at the MPI Halbleiterlabor. They contribute to the focal p lane instrumentation of two space missions: the European XMM and the G erman ABRIXAS satellites. These CCDs, presented here, use exclusively pn-junctions on ultra-pure, high-ohmic silicon for all active componen ts, in particular for the transfer electrodes and the on-chip readout circuitry. Full depletion of the detector chip, a homogeneous and thin entrance window and large pixel sizes can be realized by this technol ogical concept. This concept results in low noise performance, spectro scopic energy resolution, high detection efficiency, radiation hardnes s and fast readout. With these properties the so-called pn-CCDs ideall y match the requirements of the satellites, which are given by the spe cifics of their Xray imaging optics as well as the intensity, energy r ange and dynamic behavior of the objects to be observed.