Compound semiconductor radiation detectors
Compound semiconductor radiation detectors
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DOI：
10.1016/j.nima.2004.05.071
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发表时间：
2004-09-21
影响因子：
1.4
通讯作者：
Peacock, A
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Owens, A;Peacock, A
我们讨论了使用化合物半导体探测X射线和伽马射线辐射的潜在好处。虽然Si和Ge已经成为实验室中能量色散光谱的检测标准，但由于它们的一个或多个物理限制，它们在越来越广泛的应用中的使用正在被边缘化；也就是说，需要辅助冷却系统或庞大的低温设备，它们的停止能力和辐射耐受能力有限。化合物半导体包含了如此广泛的物理性质，以至于在技术上可以设计一种材料用于任何应用。宽带隙化合物提供了在广泛的热和辐射环境中工作的能力，同时在硬x射线波长下仍然保持亚kev的光谱分辨率。另一方面，窄带隙材料提供了超过硅和锗光谱分辨率的潜力，高达3倍。假设系统总噪声可以降低到与Fano噪声相当的水平，光谱探测器可以在XUV中工作，有效地弥合紫外线和软x射线波段之间的差距。因此，原则上，化合物半导体探测器可以提供从远红外到伽马射线波长的连续光谱覆盖。然而，虽然它们通常用于红外和光学波长，但在其他波段，它们的发展一直受到材料和制造问题的困扰。在硬X射线和伽马射线波长下尤其如此，只有少数化合物（例如，GaAs， CdZnTe和HgI2）已经进化到足以产生工作探测系统。在本文中，我们研究了化合物半导体的研究现状，并通过对材料特性和未来需求的仔细检查，推荐了一些进一步发展的化合物。从长远来看，当材料问题得到充分控制时，我们认为未来在于异质结构和插入界面层的发展，以克服接触问题，量子异质结构和超晶格的发展，以促进低噪声读出。(C) 2004 Elsevier B.V.版权所有
We discuss the potential benefits of using compound semiconductors for the detection of X- and gamma-ray radiation. While Si and Ge have become detection standards for energy dispersive spectroscopy in the laboratory, their use for an increasing range of applications is becoming marginalized by one or more of their physical limitations; namely the need for ancillary cooling systems or bulky cryogenics, their modest stopping powers and radiation intolerance. Compound semiconductors encompass such a wide range of physical properties that it is technically feasible to engineer a material to any application. Wide band-gap compounds offer the ability to operate in a wide range of thermal and radiation environments, whilst still maintaining sub-keV spectral resolution at hard X-ray wavelengths. Narrow band-gap materials, on the other hand, offer the potential of exceeding the spectral resolution of both Si and Ge, by as much as a factor of 3. Assuming that the total system noise can be reduced to a level commensurate with Fano noise, spectroscopic detectors could work in the XUV, effectively bridging the gap between the ultraviolet and soft X-ray wavebands. Thus, in principle, compound semiconductor detectors can provide continuous spectroscopic coverage from the far infrared through to gamma-ray wavelengths. However, while they are routinely used at infrared and optical wavelengths, in other bands, their development has been plagued by material and fabrication problems. This is particularly true at hard X- and gamma-ray wavelengths, where only a few compounds (e.g., GaAs, CdZnTe and HgI2) have evolved sufficiently to produce working detection systems. In this paper, we examine the current status of research in compound semiconductors and by a careful examination of material properties and future requirements, recommend a number of compounds for further development. In the longer term, when material problems are sufficiently under control, we believe the future lies in the development of heterostructures and inserted interface layers to overcome contacting problems and quantum heterostructures and superlattices to facilitate low-noise readout. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.