Improved Array of X-Ray Microcalorimeters

An improved array of microcalorimeters has been devised for use as photon detectors in an x-ray spectrometer for astrophysical research. The spectrometer will be used to measure the spectra of celestial objects in the "soft" x-ray range (photon energies from 200 eV to 10 keV), to a resolution much higher than has been possible until now.