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Graphics

Visualization

An X-ray photon from a hot body strikes the Xenon atom. This dislodges an electron from the atom.

The electron that is released does not get "picked up" by other Xenon gas molecules that have lost electrons. Instead the electron is accelerated by the detector electric field, bumping out even more electrons in other Xenon atoms along its route to the anode wire of the PCU. This process happens over and over again for EACH photon that hits the Xenon gas!!