Multi-Energy, Fast Counting Hybrid CZT Pixel Detector with Dedicated Readout Integrated Circuit

A new mixed signal front-end readout electronics integrated circuit (IC) called HILDA (Hyperspectral Imaging with Large Detector Arrays) has been developed for two-dimensional CdZnTe (CZT) pixel detector arrays. The CZT array is directly bonded on top of the IC. The CZT array and the HILDA-IC have matching geometric pixel/channel structure and dimensions, a 16 x 16 array of 0.5 mm x 0.5 mm pitch. They are mounted together using flip-chip bump bonding. The pixel detector and readout IC are designed for high-rate photon counting independently for each channel/pixel and multiple-energy binning up to eight energy bands. Therefore, eight images can be produced that represent identical slices in time and space but different energy bands. Several HILDA CZT pixel detector hybrids have been fabricated and tested. The CZT pixel detector, the readout IC and preliminary test results are presented in this paper. The main potential applications envisioned for this chip are industrial non-destructive inspection, security applications and CT scanners.