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T. Tumer (IGPP, UC Riverside), M. Finger (USRA and MSFC), K. Hurley (SSL, UCB), H.B. Ogelman (Dept.of Physics, U. Wisconsin, Madison), W.J. Hamilton, E. Gordon (Raytheon), R. Paulos (Space Science and Engineering Center, U. Wisconsin, Madison), G. Mohanty, J. Zweerink (IGPP, UC, Riverside), D. Maeding (Innovative Design, California)
New high spatial and energy resolution silicon and CdZnTe pixel detectors have been developed for wide applications in high energy x-ray and low energy gamma-ray astronomy. The proposed use of these novel devices are in a wide field of view, imaging, x-ray and low energy gamma ray all sky monitor (AXGAM) instrument. It can also be used with focussing type x-ray imaging telescopes as it has high (300 x 300 micron) spatial resolution. The high stopping power of the CdZnTe detectors combined with low-noise front-end readout electronics makes it possible to bring an order of magnitude improvement in spatial (angular) and energy resolution for high energy x-ray and low energy gamma-ray detection and imaging. The AXGAM instrument will be built in the form of a fine coded mask placed over two-dimensional, high spatial resolution and low energy threshold silicon and CdZnTe pixel detector arrays. The preliminary test results obtained from the initial prototype silicon and CdZnTe pixel detectors with low-noise data acquisition system will be presented. Its application for the AXGAM instrument and other space missions such as the CONSTELLATION Mission will be discussed.