Scattering Polarimetry in the Hard X-ray Range

Abstract

In one and a half years, the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer has demonstrated the role and the potentiality of Polarimetry in X-ray Astronomy. The next steps include extension to higher energies. There is margin for an extension of the photoelectric approach up to 20–25 keV, but above that energy the only technique is Compton Scattering. Grazing incidence optics can focus photons up to 80 keV, not excluding a marginal extension to 150–200 keV. Given the physical constraints involved, the passage from photoelectric to scattering approach can make less effective the use of optics because of the high background. I discuss the choices in terms of detector design to mitigate the problem and the guidelines for future technological developments.

Keywords

• X-ray astronomy
• X-ray polarimetry
• space instrumentation