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Title: Cadmium telluride photovoltaic radiation detector

Abstract

A dosimetry-type radiation detector is provided which employs a polycrystalline, chlorine-compensated cadmium telluride wafer fabricated to operate as a photovoltaic current generator used as the basic detecting element. A photovoltaic junction is formed in the wafer by painting one face of the cadmium telluride wafer with an n-type semiconductive material. The opposite face of the wafer is painted with an electrically conductive material to serve as a current collector. The detector is mounted in a hermetically sealed vacuum containment. The detector is operated in a photovoltaic mode (zero bias) while DC coupled to a symmetrical differential current amplifier having a very low input impedance. The amplifier converts the current signal generated by radiation impinging upon the barrier surface face of the wafer to a voltage which is supplied to a voltmeter calibrated to read quantitatively the level of radiation incident upon the detecting wafer.

Inventors:
 [1];  [1]
  1. Oak Ridge, TN
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
863762
Patent Number(s):
4243885
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01T - MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION
H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
cadmium; telluride; photovoltaic; radiation; detector; dosimetry-type; provided; employs; polycrystalline; chlorine-compensated; wafer; fabricated; operate; current; generator; basic; detecting; element; junction; formed; painting; n-type; semiconductive; material; opposite; painted; electrically; conductive; serve; collector; mounted; hermetically; sealed; vacuum; containment; operated; mode; zero; bias; dc; coupled; symmetrical; differential; amplifier; input; impedance; converts; signal; generated; impinging; barrier; surface; voltage; supplied; voltmeter; calibrated; quantitatively; level; incident; semiconductive material; current generator; hermetically sealed; current collector; conductive material; electrically conductive; radiation detector; signal generated; cadmium telluride; current signal; radiation incident; radiation impinging; amplifier converts; sealed vacuum; detecting element; current amplifier; differential current; input impedance; meter calibrated; hermetically seal; type radiation; photovoltaic junction; photovoltaic radiation; /250/136/257/

Citation Formats

Agouridis, Dimitrios C, and Fox, Richard J. Cadmium telluride photovoltaic radiation detector. United States: N. p., 1981. Web.
Agouridis, Dimitrios C, & Fox, Richard J. Cadmium telluride photovoltaic radiation detector. United States.
Agouridis, Dimitrios C, and Fox, Richard J. Thu . "Cadmium telluride photovoltaic radiation detector". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/863762.
@article{osti_863762,
title = {Cadmium telluride photovoltaic radiation detector},
author = {Agouridis, Dimitrios C and Fox, Richard J},
abstractNote = {A dosimetry-type radiation detector is provided which employs a polycrystalline, chlorine-compensated cadmium telluride wafer fabricated to operate as a photovoltaic current generator used as the basic detecting element. A photovoltaic junction is formed in the wafer by painting one face of the cadmium telluride wafer with an n-type semiconductive material. The opposite face of the wafer is painted with an electrically conductive material to serve as a current collector. The detector is mounted in a hermetically sealed vacuum containment. The detector is operated in a photovoltaic mode (zero bias) while DC coupled to a symmetrical differential current amplifier having a very low input impedance. The amplifier converts the current signal generated by radiation impinging upon the barrier surface face of the wafer to a voltage which is supplied to a voltmeter calibrated to read quantitatively the level of radiation incident upon the detecting wafer.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1981},
month = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1981}
}