CZTI

The CZTI, or Cadmium Zinc Telluride Imager, is a key instrument onboard the AstroSat satellite, launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in 2015. Its primary purpose is to observe celestial objects in the hard X-ray energy range, from 10 to 150 keV. This spectral window is crucial for studying high-energy phenomena in the universe, such as black holes, neutron stars, and active galactic nuclei.

A unique feature of the CZTI is its coded mask telescope design. This design allows it to create images of the sky by detecting the shadows cast by a patterned mask onto the detector plane. This technique enables it to achieve a wide field of view, covering a significant portion of the sky simultaneously, which is advantageous for scanning large areas and detecting transient events. The Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) detectors themselves offer excellent energy resolution and are sensitive to hard X-rays, allowing for detailed spectral analysis of observed sources.

The CZTI's capabilities have contributed significantly to our understanding of high-energy astrophysics. It has been used to study the variability and spectral properties of various X-ray sources, providing valuable data for theoretical models of these extreme cosmic objects. Its wide field of view also makes it an effective survey instrument, capable of identifying new sources and monitoring known ones for changes in their behavior.