Design and optimization of an analog filter with a CdTe detector for X-ray fluorescence applications

An analog pre-filter circuit for digital pulse processing is designed and optimized for X-ray fluorescence (XRF) applications to replace traditional analog shaping amplifiers. To optimize the pre-filter performance, we characterized noise electrons as a function of the input pulse rise time and decay time of the output pulse by using the full width at half maximum. In addition, gamma-ray energy measurements at room temperature showed that the commercially available CdTe Schottky-type radiation detector with our newly designed and optimized pre-filter circuit exhibited full widths at half maxima of 4.97 (Ba-133, at 53 keV) and 5.56 keV (Am-241, at 59.5 keV), respectively.