Low energy characterization of Caliste HD, a CdTe based imaging spectrometer

Caliste HD is a recently developed micro-camera designed for X and gamma-rays astronomy, based on a 1×1 cm² CdTe Schottky pixelated detector. Its entire surface is composed of 256 pixels, disposed on a 16×16 pixels matrix with 625 micrometers pitch. This spectrometer is buttable on its 4 sides and can be used to create a large focal plane. Caliste HD is designed for space environment and its front-end electronic has a low power consumption and excellent noise performances which can provide an extended dynamic range, from 2 keV to I MeV as well as excellent energy resolutions. This large spectroscopic window is suited to observe astrophysical sources for a wide range of wavelengths. Moreover, electronic noise performances of this instrument were designed to set the low level-threshold lower than 2 keV; these continuous improvements now allow studying detailed spectroscopic performances at very low energies. For this purpose, we have exposed the Caliste HD module to a mono-energetic X-rays beam, and set energies between 2 and 12 keV emphasizing the 2 to 6 keV band. We could measure accurately detections efficiencies for the lowest energies and found it to be from 43% to 75% at 2.1 keV and 11.6 keV respectively, considering only particles detected in photopeak for single events, ignoring events impinging between two adjacent pixels. Absorption edges due to the Platinum (Pt) entrance electrode have been detected, as well as other characteristics absorption edges on the efficiency curve caused by Cd and Te elements. This efficiency detection profile thereby highlights crucial effects of the Pt electrode opacity on Caliste HD low energy response, and suggests the presence of absorption zones at the interface between CdTe crystal and Platinum. Besides, using a mono-energetic beam allows fine energy r