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Title: Novel drift structures for silicon and compound semiconductor X-ray and gamma-ray detectors

Journal Article · · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society
OSTI ID:298289

Recently developed silicon- and compound-semiconductor-based drift detector structures have produced excellent performance for charged particles, X-rays, and gamma rays and for low-signal visible light detection. The silicon drift detector (SDD) structures that the authors discuss relate to direct X-ray detectors and scintillation photon detectors coupled with scintillators for gamma rays. Recent designs include several novel features that ensure very low dark current and hence low noise. In addition, application of thin window technology ensures a very high quantum efficiency entrance window on the drift photodetector. The main features of the silicon drift structures for X rays and light detection are very small anode capacitance independent of the overall detector size, low noise, and high throughput. To take advantage of the small detector capacitance, the first stage of the electronics needs to be integrated into the detector anode. In the gamma-ray application, factors other than electronic noise dominate, and there is no need to integrate the electronics into the anode. Thus, a different drift structure is needed in conjunction with a high-Z material. The main features in this case are large active detector volume and electron-only induced signal.

OSTI ID:
298289
Report Number(s):
CONF-981106-; ISSN 0003-018X; TRN: 99:001920
Journal Information:
Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Vol. 79; Conference: American Nuclear Society winter meeting, Washington, DC (United States), 15-19 Nov 1998; Other Information: PBD: 1998
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English