Picosecond photoconductors as radiation detectors

Conference · Fri Jan 31 23:00:00 EST 1986 · IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5824241

Wagner, R S; Bradley, J M; Hammond, R B

The authors have developed a new class of extremely highspeed radiation detectors. They are simple and inexpensive to fabricate, rugged, and reliable. They have demonstrated their sensitivity to gamma-rays, x-rays, soft x-rays, charged particles, and light and have obtained response speeds of <100 ps. Their current response is proportional to incident-radiation intensity. The detectors are not used for detecting single particles or measuring particle energy. Their current response is due to the modulation of the conductance of the semiconductor crystal by transient-radiation events. The devices are fabricated from bulk-semiconductor crystals and achieve picosecond response by fast carrier relaxation in the crystals. Fast carrier relaxation is obtained by intentionally introducing trapping and recombination centers into the semiconductor crystal by impurity doping or radiation damage. Here the authors discuss the design, fabrication, and characterization of InP:Fe, GaAs, and neutron-damaged InP:Fe and GaAs photoconductive radiation detectors. They also present a model for transient response in InP:Fe photoconductors.

• Research Organization: Electronics Div., Los Alamos National Lab., Los Alamos, NM 87545
• OSTI ID: 5824241
• Report Number(s): CONF-851009-
• Journal Information: IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci.; (United States), Journal Name: IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci.; (United States) Vol. NS-33:1; ISSN IETNA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

440101* -- Radiation Instrumentation-- General Detectors or Monitors &amp; Radiometric Instruments
440200 -- Radiation Effects on Instrument Components
Instruments
or Electronic Systems
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIDES
CHARGED PARTICLES
CRYSTAL DOPING
DAMAGING NEUTRON FLUENCE
DESIGN
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FABRICATION
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
GAMMA RADIATION
INDIUM COMPOUNDS
INDIUM PHOSPHIDES
IONIZING RADIATIONS
IRON COMPOUNDS
MATERIALS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
NEUTRON FLUENCE
PHOSPHIDES
PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
PHOTOCONDUCTORS
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
PNICTIDES
RADIATION DETECTORS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
RELIABILITY
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SENSITIVITY
SOFT X RADIATION
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
VISIBLE RADIATION
X RADIATION