Temperature Stable Alternative to Li Compensation of Silicon Radiation Sensors

* 9402262沃特SBIR第二阶段资金提供给IntraSpec Inc.的研究人员。开发一种制造成本较低的硅辐射传感器的技术。 硅X射线能谱仪已成为研究和工业中元素分析的重要工具。 目前，硅X射线探测器和一些其他硅探测器应用所需的深敏感深度通常通过通常称为Li漂移的补偿技术获得。 不幸的是，Li Drifting在室温下仅准稳定，在更高温度下非常不稳定。 温度稳定性问题限制了这些探测器的性能和通用性，因为它禁止了现代器件处理技术，如氧化物表面钝化和高温接触形成。 这项研究解决了一种替代方法的可行性研究，以补偿硅，这将允许敏感的深度3毫米，与高温氧化物钝化兼容，允许高温接触形成，并比锂漂移便宜。 这种新技术将导致更便宜的X射线检测器，其将在利用热电或其它替代冷却技术可获得的更高温度下令人满意地工作。 它还将使以合理的价格建造非常大面积、深度敏感的深度探测器成为可能。 一种可以取代Li补偿的高温兼容技术将对硅X射线能谱市场产生重大影响，特别是在便携式现场仪器领域。 它还将在硅带电粒子探测器光谱学和光学探测器领域开启新的市场机会。 ***

*** 9402262 WALTER SBIR phase-II funds are provided to investigators at IntraSpec Inc. to develop a technology for the fabrication of less expensive silicon radiation sensors. Silicon x-ray energy spectrometers have become a very important tool for elemental analysis in research and industry. Currently, the deep sensitive depths required for silicon x-ray detectors and some other silicon detector applications usually are obtained by a compensation technique commonly referred to as Li Drifting. Unfortunately, Li Drifting is only quasi-stable at room temperature and very unstable at higher temperatures. The temperature stability problem limits the performance and general usefulness of these detectors by prohibiting modern device processing technologies like oxide surface passivation and high-temperature contact formation. This research addresses the feasibility study of an alternative approach to compensation of silicon which would allow sensitive depths 3 mm, be compatible with high-temperature oxide passivations, allow high-temperatures contact formation , and be cheaper than Li Drifting. this new technology should result in cheaper x-ray detectors which will operate satisfactorily at the higher temperatures obtainable with thermoelectric or other alternative cooling techniques. It also should make it possible to build very large area, deep sensitive depth detectors at reasonable prices. A high-temperature compatible technology which can replace Li compensation will have a large impact on the silicon x-ray energy spectroscopy market; particularly in the area of portable field instruments. It also will unlock new market opportunities in silicon charged particle detector spectroscopy and perhaps in optical detectors. ***