Characterization of a New ASIC Readout for Pixel CZT Detectors for Hard X-Ray Astronomy

The results of the laboratory measurements performed on an X-Ray detection system based on a 16times16 pixel CZT array from eV products and a custom readout ASIC are presented. In particular, the performance of a new low power and low noise 8-channel ASIC were investigated in order to characterize the operative features of the front-end active device coupled with a low dark current 1 mm thick CZT detector with an anode segmented in pixel of 0.5 mm in side. The tests carried out were limited to the energy range 10-100 keV, since the ASIC chip gain was adjusted to operate with CZT pixel detector suitable as multilayer telescope focal planes. Channel-to-channel ASIC non-uniformities were investigated as well as the spectroscopic performance of the detection equipment.