What (new) technology will IXO feature?
There are many new technologies that will make IXO a quantum jump from the current X-ray observatories. The development of new ultra-light X-ray optics makes possible increasing an order of magnitude in telescope sizes. Two different technologies are being pursued. An European technique employs the silicon wafers used to for micro-processor chips, while U.S. researches are exploring the slumped glass used for laptop screens. The IXO detectors will all use new technologies that are under development. Micro-calorimeter arrays operate at 50mK (a hair above absolute zero) and sense the heat deposited when an X-ray is absorbed. These will be the workhorse devices that provide both images and high spectral resolution (similar to integral field spectrometers in the optical). The wide field imager will utilize active pixels to provide CCD spectral resolution, but will be immune to radiation damage and have fast readout times (and will also provide a high time readout for bright sources). New l
