Array of HgI₂ detectors on the HL-1M Tokamak

An array of seven HgI₂ detectors, which are suitable for detecting the time and space evolution of the x-ray radiation flux and energy spectrum in the range between 15–150 keV relevant to suprathermal electron and runaway electrons was installed on the HL-1M Tokamak (R₀=1.02 m, a=0.26 m, B_T=3.5 T, I_P=350 kA, n_e=3–6×10¹³ cm^-3, T_e=0.8–1.5 keV). Our iodine mercury (HgI₂) semiconductor detectors possess the properties of low noise level, high detection efficiency, high counting rate, high energy resolution, and working at room temperature. Every detector is a high quality, high purity detector cut out of a big size HgI₂ crystal. A new type of multichannel energy spectrometer with a high speed acquisition system was developed. Therefore, the spatial and temporal distribution of the x-ray energy spectrum induced by thermal and superthermal electrons can be observed.