Full-volume characterization of an AGATA segmented HPGe gamma-ray detector using a $$^{152}Eu$$ source

Abstract

Scanning tables use collimated gamma-ray sources to perform full volume characterization of position sensitive detectors. One of such tables is hosted at IPHC Strasbourg. It was designed and built within the AGATA collaboration. It exploits the pulse shape comparison scanning (PSCS) technique to build databases of pulses used to characterize the response of high purity germanium (HPGe) detectors and perform R&D on such crystals. Ultimately, measured databases could be used by the pulse shape analysis (PSA) algorithms employed in AGATA experiments. The table can perform full volume scans of large volume detectors in short times, with a good spatial resolution and at different energies. Lately, the table was upgraded with a new \(^{152}Eu\) source, which emits gamma rays in cascades of different energies. A scan with such source is performed for the first time. It allows to build different energy databases in one single scan. The present work aims at testing the performances of the PSCS technique with a multi-energetic source and verifying some assumptions of the Shockley–Ramo theorem which are at the base of the PSA algorithms used for gamma-ray tracking arrays.