Response of large area avalanche photodiodes to low energy x rays

Gentile, T R; Bales, M; Arp, U; Dong, B; Farrell, R

doi:10.1063/1.4714348

Title: Response of large area avalanche photodiodes to low energy x rays

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Abstract

For an experiment to study neutron radiative beta-decay, we operated large area avalanche photodiodes (APDs) near liquid nitrogen temperature to detect x rays with energies between 0.2 keV and 20 keV. Whereas there are numerous reports of x ray spectrometry using APDs at energies above 1 keV, operation near liquid nitrogen temperature allowed us to reach a nominal threshold of 0.1 keV. However, due to the short penetration depth of x rays below 1 keV, the pulse height spectrum of the APD become complex. We studied the response using monochromatic x ray beams and employed phenomenological fits of the pulse height spectrum to model the measurement of a continuum spectrum from a synchrotron. In addition, the measured pulse height spectrum was modelled using a profile for the variation in efficiency of collection of photoelectrons with depth into the APD. The best results are obtained with the collection efficiency model.

Authors:

Gentile, T R ^[1]; Bales, M ^[2]; Arp, U ^[3]; Dong, B ^[4]; Farrell, R ^[5]

Stop 8461, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899 (United States)
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104 (United States)
Stop 8410, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899 (United States)
Sotera Defense Solutions, Inc., Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973 (United States)
RMD Inc., Watertown, Massachusetts 02472 (United States)

Publication Date:: Tue May 15 00:00:00 EDT 2012

OSTI Identifier:: 22072296

Resource Type:: Journal Article

Journal Name:: Review of Scientific Instruments

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 83; Journal Issue: 5; Other Information: (c) 2012 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0034-6748

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; AVALANCHE QUENCHING; BETA DECAY; EFFICIENCY; KEV RANGE; MONOCHROMATIC RADIATION; NEUTRONS; PENETRATION DEPTH; PHOTODIODES; PHOTON BEAMS; PULSES; SYNCHROTRON RADIATION; X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY

Citation Formats


                    Gentile, T R, Bales, M, Arp, U, Dong, B, and Farrell, R. Response of large area avalanche photodiodes to low energy x rays.  United States: N. p., 2012. 
        Web.  doi:10.1063/1.4714348.

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                    Gentile, T R, Bales, M, Arp, U, Dong, B, & Farrell, R. Response of large area avalanche photodiodes to low energy x rays.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4714348

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                    Gentile, T R, Bales, M, Arp, U, Dong, B, and Farrell, R. 2012.  
        "Response of large area avalanche photodiodes to low energy x rays".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4714348.

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@article{osti_22072296,

  title        = {Response of large area avalanche photodiodes to low energy x rays},

  author       = {Gentile, T R and Bales, M and Arp, U and Dong, B and Farrell, R},

  abstractNote = {For an experiment to study neutron radiative beta-decay, we operated large area avalanche photodiodes (APDs) near liquid nitrogen temperature to detect x rays with energies between 0.2 keV and 20 keV. Whereas there are numerous reports of x ray spectrometry using APDs at energies above 1 keV, operation near liquid nitrogen temperature allowed us to reach a nominal threshold of 0.1 keV. However, due to the short penetration depth of x rays below 1 keV, the pulse height spectrum of the APD become complex. We studied the response using monochromatic x ray beams and employed phenomenological fits of the pulse height spectrum to model the measurement of a continuum spectrum from a synchrotron. In addition, the measured pulse height spectrum was modelled using a profile for the variation in efficiency of collection of photoelectrons with depth into the APD. The best results are obtained with the collection efficiency model.},

  doi          = {10.1063/1.4714348},

  url          = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22072296},
  journal      = {Review of Scientific Instruments},

  issn         = {0034-6748},

  number       = 5,

  volume       = 83,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Tue May 15 00:00:00 EDT 2012},

  month        = {Tue May 15 00:00:00 EDT 2012}

}

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