Atomic nuclei make up most of the visible matter in the universe, including ourselves.
Therefore, the study of their structure is of paramount importance to understand how the forces of nature work and how the elements were created.
The detection of gamma rays emitted by the atomic nucleus has played a pivotal role in discovering and elucidating the wide range of phenomena manifested by nuclear matter.
Each major advance in gamma-ray detection techniques has resulted in significant new insights into the structure of nuclei.
The ultimate generation of gamma-ray detectors is represented by the advanced gamma tracking array AGATA, which is a joint project of the European nuclear structure community to design and construct a spectrometer with unprecedented efficiency and spectral resolution.
The concept of gamma-ray tracking relies upon the possibility of operating bulk germanium crystals in position-sensitive mode, so as to be able to locate the individual interaction points and determine the path taken by the gamma rays inside the spectrometer. The development phase of this detection technique is close to completion and the first gamma-ray tracking modules are already part of the AGATA Demonstrator array at INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro.
The AGATA spectrometer will be completed over the next years and will have an enormous impact on the understanding of the atomic nucleus at the very extremes of proton and neutron number, temperature and spin.
The technical advances driven by AGATA are suitable for a wide range of applications, e.g. in nuclear waste management, homeland security and medical imaging.
For more details see the official AGATA home page