AGATA: Gamma-ray tracking in segmented HPGe detectors

TL;DR

AGATA introduces advanced gamma-ray tracking techniques in segmented HPGe detectors, enabling precise 3D interaction position determination crucial for nuclear spectroscopy of exotic nuclei.

Contribution

This paper presents new methods for 3D interaction position determination and gamma-ray track reconstruction in AGATA's germanium detectors.

Findings

Preliminary simulation results demonstrate effective interaction position resolution.

Methods improve gamma-ray tracking accuracy in segmented HPGe detectors.

Potential for enhanced nuclear spectroscopy of exotic nuclei.

Abstract

The next generation of radioactive ion beam facilities, which will give experimental access to many exotic nuclei, are presently being developed. At the same time the next generation of high resolution gamma-ray spectrometers, based on gamma-ray tracking, for studying the structure of these exotic nuclei are being developed. One of the main differences in tracking of $\gamma$ rays versus charged particles is that the gamma rays do not deposit their energy "continuously" in the detector, but in a few discrete steps. Also, in the field of nuclear spectroscopy, the location of the source is mostly well known while the exact interaction position in the detector is the unknown quantity. This makes the challenges of gamma-ray tracking in germanium somewhat different compared to vertexing in silicon detectors. In these proceedings we present the methods for determining the 3D interaction positions in the detector and how these are used to reconstruct the gamma-ray tracks in the AGATA detector array. We also present preliminary simulation results of a proposed in-beam method to measure the interaction position resolution in the germanium detectors.