Large Volume Germanium Detectors for the Advanced Compton Telescope
R.A. Kroeger, W.N. Johnson, J.D. Kurfess
B.F. Phlips
P.N. Luke
Abstract
The sensitivity that can be achieved by the Advanced Compton Telescope (ACT)
mission in the 0.5 to 30
MeV energy range is determined by its ability to reject instrumental
backgrounds. This is done through
precise measurements of both position and energy of each gamma-ray
interaction, and careful analysis of
each event. The instrument concept is discussed elsewhere in this
conference. The enabling technology
to make this possible is in the detectors. Germanium is the natural choice,
as it is available in large
volumes (up to 700 cm3 per detector); provides the best possible energy
resolution among the
semiconducting, gas, and liquid detectors (as good as 1.3 keV FWHM at 1 MeV,
and 410 eV FWHM at
100 keV); and is capable of fine spatial resolution (less than 1 mm).
Achieving the best possible
performance in arrays of large detectors is a technical challenge,
but the basic properties and characteristics
of the germanium detector have all been demonstrated on smaller scales.
We discuss the current status of
the germanium detector technology. New results from the characterization
of a crossed strip detector using
amorphous-germanium contacts are presented, along with developments in
modular packaging concepts.
File translated from TEX by TTH, version 2.32.
On 16 Jul 1999, 09:19.