Cadmium telluride photovoltaic radiation detector

Patent ·

OSTI ID:5377421

Agouridis, D C; Fox, R J

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 semi-conductive 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.

• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• Assignee: TIC; ERA-05-029544; EDB-80-085387
• Patent Number(s): None
• OSTI ID: 5377421
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

440101* -- Radiation Instrumentation-- General Detectors or Monitors & Radiometric Instruments
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
AMPLIFIERS
CADMIUM COMPOUNDS
CADMIUM TELLURIDES
CDTE SEMICONDUCTOR DETECTORS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHLORINE
DETECTION
DOPED MATERIALS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
ELEMENTS
GAMMA DETECTION
HALOGENS
MATERIALS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
NONMETALS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADIATION DETECTION
RADIATION DETECTORS
RELIABILITY
SEMICONDUCTOR DETECTORS
TELLURIDES
TELLURIUM COMPOUNDS
TRAPPING