Charge Sensitive Preamplifier and Pulse Shaper using CMOS process for Germanium Spectroscopy

We have developed a low noise, low power charge sensitive amplifier and pulse shaping circuit. Our application is for a double-sided germanium strip detector, nominally providing 50 independent spectroscopy channels. An array of these detectors would provide significant improvements in imaging, spectroscopy and sensitivity for space-based gamma-ray astronomy. The key features of these electronics are low noise, very low power, and a small footprint per channel. Performance of our first circuit is in good agreement with simulations, with ~205e noise rms (0 pF), and 3 mW/channel power consumption. Dynamic range is 0–3.3 MeV (germanium) with a linearity of ±0.6%. Performance of this prototype device will be discussed.