Simulation and Real-Time Analysis of Pulse Shapes from HPGe Detectors

The capabilities of future Germanium (HPGe) detector arrays consisting of large volume segmented crystals like AGATA [1] will depend heavily on the performance of γray tracking. The most crucial component in the whole concept is the pulse shape analysis (PSA). The efficiency of tracking algorithms hinges on the ability of the PSA to reconstruct the interaction locations accurately, especially for multiple γ-interactions in one detector segment. For the typical hexagonal shaped coaxial closed end detectors the currently most successful working principle of PSA is to compare the experimental signal shape with signals available from a basis set with known interaction locations. Considering size, rate capabilities and resolution of the arrays, the PSA algorithm must operate in real-time.