New setup for the characterisation of the AGATA detectors

A crucial step in the process of γ-ray tracking is related to the location of the interaction points of all the γ-rays within the AGATA (Advanced GAmma Tracking Array) segmented detectors. This requires a full understanding of the sensitivity of each highly segmented high-purity germanium (HPGe) detectors via the characterisation of the 2D and 3D position response. In this paper, we describe the experimental scanning setup that we developed at Orsay for the AGATA detectors. A collimated 137Cs source on an automated x-y positioning table was used for the front face scanning of the AGATA symmetric prototype detector. The 3D scanning measurement is performed using coincidence techniques based on γ-ray Compton scattering from the AGATA detector into an ancillary coupled detector. In our setup, TOHR (high resolution tomograph developed for small animal imaging) is used as an ancillary detector. The data is collected using TIGRESS cards for digital signal processing. The data flow, readout and storage is NARVAL as used for the full AGATA project. The analysis of the collected data and the obtained results is shown to illustrate our device performances

AGATA-Advanced GAmma Tracking Array

AGATA CollaborationThe Advanced GAmma Tracking Array (AGATA) is a European project to develop and operate the next generation gamma-ray spectrometer. AGATA is based on the technique of gamma-ray energy tracking in electrically segmented high-purity germanium crystals. This technique requires the accurate determination of the energy, time and position of every interaction as a gamma ray deposits its energy within the detector volume. Reconstruction of the full interaction path results in a detector with very high efficiency and excellent spectral response. The realisation of gamma-ray tracking and AGATA is a result of many technical advances. These include the development of encapsulated highly segmented germanium detectors assembled in a triple cluster detector cryostat, an electronics system with fast digital sampling and a data acquisition system to process the data at a high rate. The full characterisation of the crystals was measured and compared with detector-response simulations. This enabled pulse-shape analysis algorithms, to extract energy, time and position, to be employed. In addition, tracking algorithms for event reconstruction were developed. The first phase of AGATA is now complete and operational in its first physics campaign. In the future AGATA will be moved between laboratories in Europe and operated in a series of campaigns to take advantage of the different beams and facilities available to maximise its science output. The paper reviews all the achievements made in the AGATA project including all the necessary infrastructure to operate and support the spectrometer. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.AGATA and this work is supported by the European funding bodies and the EU Contract RII3-CT-2004-506065, the German BMBF under Grants 06K-167 and 06KY205I, the Swedish Research Council and the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, UK EPSRC Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, UK STFC Science and Technology Facilities Council, AWE plc, Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (Proj. nr. 106T055) and Ankara University (BAP Proj. nr. 05B4240002), the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education under Grant DPN/N190/AGATA/2009, the Spanish MICINN under grants FPA2008-06419 and FPA2009-13377-C02-02, the Spanish Consolider-Ingenio 2010 Programme CPAN (contract number CSD2007-00042) the Generalitat Valenciana under Grant PROMETEO/2010/101, and research performed in the frame of the GSI-IN2P3 collaboration agreement number 02-42. MICINN, Spain, and INFN, Italy, through the AIC10-D-000568 bilateral action.Peer Reviewe