3DCaTM: a 3D Cadmium Zinc Telluride spectroscopic module for hard X- and gamma-ray astronomy

In the hard X-/soft gamma-ray energy band (10 keV-10 MeV), a number of primary astrophysical questions are still open, mainly due to lack of sensitivity of the present instrumentation. New detectors are required to fulfill all the stringent requirements arising from scientific objectives and as much as flexible to be suitable for very dierent space mission classes such as the appealing mini/micro/nano satellite based one (in single or in cluster configuration). High modularity and compactness are therefore mandatory for these new instruments. In this perspective, 3D CZT spectro-imagers developments represent a challenging frontier. In this activity, our group has reached promising results, but a step forward on device components we developed is required to increase their technology readiness levels. To fulfill this requirement, we started the realization of a fully operational 3D CZT spectro-imager module as a relevant demonstrator of the high performance that we can achieve with this technology in spectroscopy, timing, Compton imaging and polarimetry. This module rely on the development of CZT drift strip sensors read by an innovative digital system. This 3D CZT module could be envisaged as a basic block suitable to build high performance focal planes for broadband (50-600 keV) Laue lenses telescopes or compact Compton instruments for a high populated micro/nano satellite cluster missions. Herein we present the current development of this project, and in particular, the dierent subsystems necessary for the construction of the final prototype, together with the results achieved in the characterisation of the single 3D CZT response.