Imaging detector development for nuclear astrophysics using pixelated CdTe

Abstract

The concept of focusing telescopes in the energy range of lines of astrophysical interest (i.e., of energies around 1MeV) should allow to reach unprecedented sensitivities, essential to perform detailed studies of cosmic explosions and cosmic accelerators. Our research and development activities aim to study a detector suited for the focal plane of a γ-ray telescope mission. A CdTe/CdZnTe detector operating at room temperature, that combines high detection efficiency with good spatial and spectral resolution is being studied in recent years as a focal plane detector, with the interesting option of also operating as a Compton telescope monitor. We present the current status of the design and development of a γ-ray imaging spectrometer in the MeV range, for nuclear astrophysics, consisting of a stack of CdTe pixel detectors with increasing thicknesses. We have developed an initial prototype based on CdTe ohmic detector. The detector has 11×11 pixels, with a pixel pitch of 1mm and a thickness of 2mm. Each pixel is stud bonded to a fanout board and routed to an front end ASIC to measure pulse height and rise time information for each incident γ-ray photon. First measurements of a 133Ba and 241Am source are reported here.