IDeF-X ASIC for Cd(Zn)Te spectro-imaging systems

Joint progresses in Cd(Zn)Te detectors, microelectronics and interconnection technologies open the way for a new generation of instruments for physics and astrophysics applications in the energy range from 1 to 1000 keV. Even working between -20 and 20 degrees Celsius, these instruments will offer high spatial resolution (pixel size ranging from 300 x 300 square micrometers to few square millimeters), high spectral response and high detection efficiency. To reach these goals, reliable, highly integrated, low noise and low power consumption electronics is mandatory. Our group is currently developing a new ASIC detector front-end named IDeF-X, for modular spectro-imaging system based on the use of Cd(Zn)Te detectors. We present here the first version of IDeF-X which consists in a set of ten low noise charge sensitive preamplifiers (CSA). It has been processed with the standard AMS 0.35 micrometer CMOS technology. The CSA are designed to be DC coupled to detectors having a low dark current at room temperature. The various preamps implemented are optimized for detector capacitances ranging from 0.5 up to 30 pF.Comment: 8 pages, 11 figures, IEEE NSS-MIC conference in Rome 2004, submitted to IEEE TNS, correction in unit of figure

CEA Bolometer Arrays: the First Year in Space

The CEA/LETI and CEA/SAp started the development of far-infrared filled bolometer arrays for space applications over a decade ago. The unique design of these detectors makes possible the assembling of large focal planes comprising thousands of bolometers running at 300 mK with very low power dissipation. Ten arrays of 16x16 pixels were thoroughly tested on the ground, and integrated in the Herschel/PACS instrument before launch in May 2009. These detectors have been successfully commissioned and are now operating in their nominal environment at the second Lagrangian point of the Earth-Sun system. In this paper we briefly explain the functioning of CEA bolometer arrays, and we present the properties of the detectors focusing on their noise characteristics, the effect of cosmic rays on the signal, the repeatability of the measurements, and the stability of the system

Simulations of Galactic Cosmic Ray Impacts on the Herschel/PACS bolometer Arrays with Geant4 Code

The effects of the in-flight behaviour of the bolometer arrays of the Herschel/PACS instrument under impacts of Galactic cosmic rays are explored. This instrument is part of the ESA-Herschel payload, which will be launched at the end of 2008 and will operate at the Lagrangian L2 point of the Sun-Earth system. We find that the components external to the detectors (the spacecraft, the cryostat, the PACS box, collectively referred to as the `shield') are the major source of secondary events affecting the detector behaviour. The impacts deposit energy on the bolometer chips and influence the behaviour of nearby pixels. 25% of hits affect the adjacent pixels. The energy deposited raises the bolometer temperature by a factor ranging from 1 to 6 percent of the nominal value. We discuss the effects on the observations and compare simulations with laboratory tests.Comment: Experimental Astronomy, 2008, in pres

Hard X-ray polarimetry with Caliste, a high performance CdTe based imaging spectrometer

Since the initial exploration of soft gamma-ray sky in the 60's, high-energy celestial sources have been mainly characterized through imaging, spectroscopy and timing analysis. Despite tremendous progress in the field, the radiation mechanisms at work in sources such as neutrons stars and black holes are still unclear. The polarization state of the radiation is an observational parameter which brings key additional information about the physical process. This is why most of the projects for the next generation of space missions covering the tens of keV to the MeV region require a polarization measurement capability. A key element enabling this capability is a detector system allowing the identification and characterization of Compton interactions as they are the main process at play. The hard X-ray imaging spectrometer module, developed in CEA with the generic name of Caliste module, is such a detector. In this paper, we present experimental results for two types of Caliste-256 modules, one based on a CdTe crystal, the other one on a CdZnTe crystal, which have been exposed to linearly polarized beams at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. These results, obtained at 200-300 keV, demonstrate their capability to give an accurate determination of the polarization parameters (polarization angle and fraction) of the incoming beam. Applying a selection to our data set, equivalent to select 90 degrees Compton scattered interactions in the detector plane, we find a modulation factor Q of 0.78. The polarization angle and fraction are derived with accuracies of approximately 1 degree and 5%. The modulation factor remains larger than 0.4 when essentially no selection is made at all on the data. These results prove that the Caliste-256 modules have performances allowing them to be excellent candidates as detectors with polarimetric capabilities, in particular for future space missions.Comment: 17 pages, 14 figures, 2 tables in Experimental Astronomy, 201

Fast-neutron induced background in LaBr3:Ce detectors

The response of a scintillation detector with a cylindrical 1.5-inch LaBr3:Ce crystal to incident neutrons has been measured in the energy range En = 2-12 MeV. Neutrons were produced by proton irradiation of a Li target at Ep = 5-14.6 MeV with pulsed proton beams. Using the time-of-flight information between target and detector, energy spectra of the LaBr3:Ce detector resulting from fast neutron interactions have been obtained at 4 different neutron energies. Neutron-induced gamma rays emitted by the LaBr3:Ce crystal were also measured in a nearby Ge detector at the lowest proton beam energy. In addition, we obtained data for neutron irradiation of a large-volume high-purity Ge detector and of a NE-213 liquid scintillator detector, both serving as monitor detectors in the experiment. Monte-Carlo type simulations for neutron interactions in the liquid scintillator, the Ge and LaBr3:Ce crystals have been performed and compared with measured data. Good agreement being obtained with the data, we present the results of simulations to predict the response of LaBr3:Ce detectors for a range of crystal sizes to neutron irradiation in the energy range En = 0.5-10 MeVComment: 28 pages, 10 figures, 4 Table

Unveiling Far-Infrared Counterparts of Bright Submillimeter Galaxies Using PACS Imaging

We present a search for Herschel-PACS counterparts of dust-obscured, high-redshift objects previously selected at submillimeter and millimeter wavelengths in the Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey North field. We detect 22 of 56 submillimeter galaxies (39%) with a SNR of >=3 at 100 micron down to 3.0 mJy, and/or at 160 micron down to 5.7 mJy. The fraction of SMGs seen at 160 micron is higher than that at 100 micron. About 50% of radio-identified SMGs are associated with PACS sources. We find a trend between the SCUBA/PACS flux ratio and redshift, suggesting that these flux ratios could be used as a coarse redshift indicator. PACS undetected submm/mm selected sources tend to lie at higher redshifts than the PACS detected ones. A total of 12 sources (21% of our SMG sample) remain unidentified and the fact that they are blank fields at Herschel-PACS and VLA 20 cm wavelength may imply higher redshifts for them than for the average SMG population (e.g., z>3-4). The Herschel-PACS imaging of these dust-obscured starbursts at high-redshifts suggests that their far-infrared spectral energy distributions have significantly different shapes than template libraries of local infrared galaxies.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures. ApJ Letters in pres

Herschel observations of embedded protostellar clusters in the Rosette Molecular Cloud

The Herschel OB young stellar objects survey (HOBYS) has observed the Rosette molecular cloud, providing an unprecedented view of its star formation activity. These new far-infrared data reveal a population of compact young stellar objects whose physical properties we aim to characterise. We compiled a sample of protostars and their spectral energy distributions that covers the near-infrared to submillimetre wavelength range. These were used to constrain key properties in the protostellar evolution, bolometric luminosity, and envelope mass and to build an evolutionary diagram. Several clusters are distinguished including the cloud centre, the embedded clusters in the vicinity of luminous infrared sources, and the interaction region. The analysed protostellar population in Rosette ranges from 0.1 to about 15 Msun with luminosities between 1 and 150 Lsun, which extends the evolutionary diagram from low-mass protostars into the high-mass regime. Some sources lack counterparts at near- to mid-infrared wavelengths, indicating extreme youth. The central cluster and the Phelps & Lada 7 cluster appear less evolved than the remainder of the analysed protostellar population. For the central cluster, we find indications that about 25% of the protostars classified as Class I from near- to mid-infrared data are actually candidate Class 0 objects. As a showcase for protostellar evolution, we analysed four protostars of low- to intermediate-mass in a single dense core, and they represent different evolutionary stages from Class 0 to Class I. Their mid- to far-infrared spectral slopes flatten towards the Class I stage, and the 160 to 70um flux ratio is greatest for the presumed Class 0 source. This shows that the Herschel observations characterise the earliest stages of protostellar evolution in detail.Comment: Astronomy & Astrophysics letter, 6 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in the Special Issue for Herschel first result

ISGRI: the INTEGRAL Soft Gamma-Ray Imager

For the first time in the history of high energy astronomy, a large CdTe gamma-ray camera is operating in space. ISGRI is the low-energy camera of the IBIS telescope on board the INTEGRAL satellite. This paper details its design and its in-flight behavior and performances. Having a sensitive area of 2621 cm$^2$ with a spatial resolution of 4.6 mm, a low threshold around 12 keV and an energy resolution of $\sim$ 8% at 60 keV, ISGRI shows absolutely no signs of degradation after 9 months in orbit. All aspects of its in-flight behavior and scientific performance are fully nominal, and in particular the observed background level confirms the expected sensitivity of 1 milliCrab for a 10$^6$s observation.Comment: INTEGRAL A&A special issu