  The XAFS beamline at Elettra Synchrotron in Trieste combines X-ray absorption
spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction to provide chemically specific structural
information of materials. It operates in the energy range 2.4-27 keV by using a
silicon double reflection Bragg monochromator. The fluorescence measurement is
performed in place of the absorption spectroscopy when the sample transparency
is too low for transmission measurements or the element to study is too diluted
in the sample. We report on the development and on the preliminary tests of a
new prototype detector based on Silicon Drift Detectors technology and the
SIRIO ultra low noise front-end ASIC. The new system will be able to reduce
drastically the time needed to perform fluorescence measurements, while keeping
a short dead time and maintaining an adequate energy resolution to perform
spectroscopy. The custom-made silicon sensor and the electronics are designed
specifically for the beamline requirements.
