Preliminary results obtained from a high resolution hybrid CdZnTe pixel detector developed for high energy X-ray astronomy

Abstract

New, high spatial resolution CdZnTe (CZT) and silicon (Si) pixel detectors are developed for high angular and high energy resolution X-ray astronomy. These detectors can be used for wide field-of-view all-sky X-ray, and gamma-ray monitors such as the AXGAM instrument and focusing X-ray imagers such as the high energy detector (HXT) proposed for the CONSTELLATION mission. The high stopping power of CZT detectors combined with low-noise front-end readout electronics ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) makes possible an order of magnitude improvement in spatial (angular) and energy resolution in X-ray detection. If silicon pixel detectors are used the energy threshold can be lowered. The preliminary test results obtained from our first silicon and CZT pixel detectors are presented. These detectors may also be used with or without modification for medical and industrial imaging.