Simulation of a Scintillator-based Compton Telescope with Micropattern Readout

Abstract—We describe simulations of a Compton telescope gamma-ray detector. The model is based on scintillation detectors and low-mass, photosensitive micro-pattern detectors, particu-larly the plasma panel sensor. The detector model has ten to twenty layers, to maximize the probability of Compton scattering while minimizing multiple scattering in a single layer. The simulations explore optimizing the micro-pattern detector pixel geometry, the scintillator material, the total detector thickness, and the number of layers. In addition, we explored algorithms for determining the interaction position, total energy and dis-criminating Compton scattering from other processes. Our initial results indicate that this kind of Compton telescope can be much more efficient that silicon or germanium-based telescopes while providing very good position resolution. I