SVOM/ECLAIRs detection plane: main features and performance

TL;DR

This paper details the design, features, and performance of the ECLAIRs detection plane on SVOM, highlighting its components, operational parameters, and compliance with scientific goals.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of the detection plane's main features and performance metrics, both on ground and in-flight.

Findings

Detection plane meets all ECLAIRs science requirements.

Operates with a low energy threshold of 4 keV.

Demonstrates reliable performance in space conditions.

Abstract

The detection plane of the high-energy transient camera ECLAIRs onboard SVOM is made of 200 XRDPIX detection modules, each consisting of a matrix of $8\times 4$ Schottky-type CdTe detectors hybridized with the low-noise and low-consumption ASIC IDeF-X. The 6400 detectors are operated at -20{\deg}C and reverse biased at -300 V, reaching a low energy threshold of 4 keV. The 20 us time resolution readout electronics works in photon counting mode classifying detected events as single or multiple events and measuring the deposited energy in real time. In this paper, we present the detection plane sub-systems and their main features. We also discuss its overall performances as measured both on ground and in-flight, showing compliance with the ECLAIRs science requirements.