  ePix10K is a hybrid pixel detector developed at SLAC for demanding
free-electron laser (FEL) applications, providing an ultrahigh dynamic range
(245 eV to 88 MeV) through gain auto-ranging. It has three gain modes (high,
medium and low) and two auto-ranging modes (high-to-low and medium-to-low). The
first ePix10K cameras are built around modules consisting of a sensor flip-chip
bonded to 4 ASICs, resulting in 352x384 pixels of 100 $\mu$m x 100 $\mu$m each.
We present results from extensive testing of three ePix10K cameras with FEL
beams at LCLS, resulting in a measured noise floor of 245 eV rms, or 67 e$^-$
equivalent noise charge (ENC), and a range of 11000 photons at 8 keV. We
demonstrate the linearity of the response in various gain combinations: fixed
high, fixed medium, fixed low, auto-ranging high to low, and auto-ranging
medium-to-low, while maintaining a low noise (well within the counting
statistics), a very low cross-talk, perfect saturation response at fluxes up to
900 times the maximum range, and acquisition rates of up to 480 Hz. Finally, we
present examples of high dynamic range x-ray imaging spanning more than 4
orders of magnitude dynamic range (from a single photon to 11000
photons/pixel/pulse at 8 keV). Achieving this high performance with only one
auto-ranging switch leads to relatively simple calibration and reconstruction
procedures. The low noise levels allow usage with long integration times at
non-FEL sources. ePix10K cameras leverage the advantages of hybrid pixel
detectors with high production yield and good availability, minimize
development complexity through sharing the hardware, software and DAQ
development with all other versions of ePix cameras, while providing an upgrade
path to 5 kHz, 25 kHz and 100 kHz in three steps over the next few years,
matching the LCLS-II requirements.
