CCD soft-X-ray detectors with improved high- and low-energy performance

We describe results from recent enhancements to the performance of charge-coupled devices (CCDs) to both low- and high-energy soft X-rays. For improved low-energy (E<500 eV) sensitivity, we show that a low-temperature surface treatment on back-illuminated devices results in superior energy resolution compared to that of the devices flown on Chandra, which had a more process-intensive, high-temperature treatment. For improved high-energy response, we describe a design approach for MOS CCDs that allows high substrate biases for deep depletion (up to 160 /spl mu/m) and, thus, improved X-ray detection for E>5 keV.