Session B16 - Neutrino and Gamma Ray Astrophysics.
MIXED session, Saturday morning, April 29
202C, Convention Center
A CCD coupled with a pixellated inorganic scintillator (such as segmented CsI) can provide high position resolution (\sim300 \mum). However, standard CCDs are integrating devices typically operating no faster than video rates. For a balloon-borne \gamma-ray telescope capable of measuring the energy of individual photons, the CCD must have a time resolution better than the average time interval between cosmic ray hits on the veto shield (\sim10 kHz). A Fast Timing Bi-Directional CCD has better than 10 \mus time resolution and 50 \mum position resolution. We describe the CCD readout architecture, the ASIC readout design, the present status of the development, and the application to a \gamma-ray astronomy telescope suitable for a 100-day Ultra Long Duration Balloon mission.