ESTREMO/WFXRT: Extreme phySics in the TRansient and Evolving COsmos

We present a mission designed to address two main themes of the ESA Cosmic Vision Programme: the Evolution of the Universe and its Violent phenomena. ESTREMO/WFXRT is based on innovative instrumental and observational approaches, out of the mainstream of observatories of progressively increasing area, i.e.: Observing with fast reaction transient sources, like GRB, at their brightest levels, thus allowing high resolution spectroscopy. Observing and surveying through a X-ray telescope with a wide field of view and with high sensitivity extended sources, like cluster and Warm Hot Intragalactic Medium (WHIM). ESTREMO/WFXRT will rely on two cosmological probes: GRB and large scale X-ray structur…

CdZnTe Detectors for Astrophysical and Medical Applications

A 3D CZT hard x-ray polarimeter for a balloon borne payload

Currently, it is widely recognised that a measurement of the polarization status of cosmic sources high energy emission is a key observational parameter to understand the active production mechanism and its geometry. Therefore new instrumentation operating in this energy range should be optimized also for this type of measurement. In this framework, we present the concept of a small high-performance spectrometer designed for polarimetry between 100 and 500 keV suitable as a stratospheric balloon-borne payload dedicated to perform an accurate and reliable measurement of the polarization status of the Crab pulsar, i.e. the polarization level and direction. The detector with 3D spatial resolut…

HARD X-RAY CZT DETECTOR DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING ON STRATOSPHERIC BALLOON PAYLOADS

We report on the R&D activities on the development of room temperature semiconductor detectors (CZT detectors) for high energy space instrumentation. Our groups have been involved in the development of new hard X and soft gamma ray telescopes (e.g. Laue lens telescopes) and focal plane detectors. We present the characteristics and the performance of various CZT detector prototypes coupled with custom read-out electronics. The main target of this R&D activity is an end to end system for domestic growth CZT crystals, new sensor configurations and related read out architecture to provide an effective 3D focal plane able to perform contemporaneously imaging (spatial resolution mm or better), ti…