A $225,000 SBIR Phase I grant provides for the commercialization of a unique X-ray detector operating in the soft X-ray regime at 100 times faster than current commercial offerings.
Sydor Instruments, a Sydor Technologies Company, announced today that is has been awarded a $225,000 SBIR Phase I grant from the Department of Energy, Office of Science. Sydor Instruments will use this grant in collaboration with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) to commercialize a unique CCD sensor, the Sydor Fast CCD, that allows for direct detection of EUV to tender X-rays at speeds 100 times faster than traditional offerings. X-ray light sources have continued to develop brighter and faster X-ray beams that can exploit new information from their experiments, as long as they have detectors that can resolve the details. The Sydor Fast CCD is specifically designed to allow new discovery for experimental methods like scattering and diffraction, as well a
s directed research into areas such as, semiconductors and nanomaterials.
The Phase 1 award allows Sydor Instruments to execute the transfer of a proven, installed R&D sensor into a repackaged and enhanced commercial offering that addresses the requirements demanded by the worldwide light source community.
The company also announced that it has received a $223,861 STTR Phase I grant from DOEOS for the commercialization of an ultra-wide dynamic range detector to address the extreme conditions powerful light sources provide.
Sydor Instruments will use this grant in collaboration with Cornell University to commercialize an ultra-wide dynamic range X-ray detector, the Sydor MM-PAD. Traditional X-ray detectors cannot accommodate the large dynamic range of collected X-rays. When a detector is out of the required dynamic range, fundamental scientific questions go unanswered or the beam line must employ multiple tests, multiple sensors and the additionally complicated analysis. The Sydor MM-PAD also solves the tradeoff between dynamic range versus resolution by employing a mixed mode analog/digital capability that maintains the single X-ray sensitivity in the analog mode and extends the dynamic range by utilizing an in-pixel digital overflow counter.
Mark Katafiaz, Vice President of US Operations, commented, “Sydor is pleased to be chosen again by the DOE for commercialization of another of the Cornell PAD sensors, the MM-PAD. Our projects with the Cornell detector group continue to address the needs of worldwide scientists and state-of-the-art light source requirements. We are proud to leverage our two New York State entities that are delivering new capabilities to the worldwide science community.”