HPGe detectors timing using pulse shape analysis techniques

In this work the Pulse Shape Analysis has been used to improve the time resolution of High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detectors. A set of time aligned signals was acquired in a coincidence measurement using a coaxial HPGe and a cerium-doped lanthanum chloride (LaGl(3):Ce) scintillation detector. The analysis using a Constant Fraction Discriminator (CFD) time output versus the HPGe signal shape shows that time resolution ranges from 2 to 12 ns depending on the slope in the initial part of the signal. An optimization procedure of the CFD parameters gives the same final time resolution (8 ns) as the one achieved after a correction of the CFD output based on the current pulse maximum position. Finally, an algorithm based on Pulse Shape Analysis was applied to the experimental data and a time resolution between 3 and 4 ns was obtained, corresponding to a 50% improvement as compared with that given by standard CFDs. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.