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High-Energy 3D Calorimeter for Use in Gamma-Ray Astronomy Based on Position-Sensitive Virtual Frisch-Grid CdZnTe Detectors

We will present a concept for a calorimeter based on a novel approach of 3D position-sensitive virtual Frisch-grid CdZnTe (hereafter CZT) detectors. This calorimeter aims to measure photons with energies from approximately 100 keV to 20 - 50 MeV . The expected energy resolution at 662 keV is better than 1% FWHM, and the photon interaction position-measurement accuracy is better than 1 mm in all 3 dimensions. Each CZT bar is a rectangular prism with typical cross-section from 5 x 5 to 7 x 7 mm2 and length of 2 - 4 cm. The bars are arranged in modules of 4 x 4 bars, and the modules themselves can be assembled into a larger array. The 3D virtual voxel approach solves a long-standing problem with CZT detectors associated with material imperfections that limit the performance and usefulness of relatively thick detectors (i.e., greater than 1 cm). Also, it allows us to use the standard (unselected) grade crystals, while achieving the energy resolution of the premium detectors and thus substantially reducing the cost of the instrument. Such a calorimeter can be successfully used in space telescopes that use Compton scattering of gamma rays, such as AMEGO, serving as part of its calorimeter and providing the position and energy measurement for Compton-scattered photons (like a focal plane detector in a Compton camera). Also, it could provide suitable energy resolution to allow for spectroscopic measurements of gamma ray lines from nuclear decays.

Moiseev, A.↗

Performance of an Array of 6 X 6 X 20 mm3 Virtual Frisch-Grid CdZnTe Detectors With A Waveform Sampling Readout System

Arrays of CdZnTe (CZT) bars with high spatial and energy resolution are an enabling technology for future space missions, such as the image plane detector of the Galactic Explorer with a Coded Aperture Mask Compton Telescope (GECCO). GECCO will explore the medium-energy (100 keV – 10 MeV) gamma-ray sky, which is among the least covered windows to the Universe with a massive potential for discovery. We have integrated an array of 6x6x20 mm3 virtual Frisch-grid (VFG) CZT detectors, measuring signals from the cathodes, anodes, and pads on each of the four sides of each bar. The VFG CZT detector is read out with an IDEAS GDS-100 waveform sampling readout system to optimize the signal processing and event reconstruction. We evaluated the energy and position resolution of the integrated VFG CZT array with a 137Cs source and successfully demonstrated better than 1% energy resolution and finer than 1 mm position resolution at 662 keV. Furthermore, we carried out a beam test at the High Intensity Gamma-ray Source (HIGS) at Duke University to investigate the performance of the system for higher energy gamma-rays. Together with the basic performance obtained from the 137Cs source, we present here those results from the beam test with various gamma-ray energies up to 8 MeV.

Makoto Sasaki↗

Design and Performance of the CdZnTe VFG Imaging Calorimeter Prototype for Gamma-ray Astronomy

We present the design and first results of the CdZnTe Imaging calorimeter prototype. The CdZnTe Imaging calorimeter has been designed for use in large astrophysical gamma-ray space instruments, and we report here on a small prototype built to validate the approach. The calorimeter is based on virtual Frisch-grid drift-bar CdZnTe detectors. The design is modular, such that multiple crates of 16 bars, each served by a single ASIC, can be arranged in to different configurations depending on the specific requirements for an instrument. The modules are plugged into the readout motherboard in the designed configuration for a given instrument. The detectors are capable of measuring the interaction point of an incident photon in three dimensions and the energy deposited. In this work, we have designed and built a prototype consisting of 4 by 4 module array and have tested it with various radioactive sources to measure its position and energy resolution. The preliminary results demonstrate ~1% FWHM energy resolution and 1-2 mm position resolution for 662 keV photons (Cs137), subject to the further improvement by applying various corrections. We tested the module with a “conventional” analog ASIC readout as well as a wave-front sampling ASIC to compare the results, which is critical for the optimization of the future instrument.

A. A. Moiseev↗