Temperature Stable Alternative to Li Compensation of Silicon Radiation Sensors

*向IntraSpec Inc.的研究人员提供9402262沃尔特SBIR第二阶段资金，以开发制造成本较低的硅辐射传感器的技术。硅X射线能谱仪已成为科研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灵敏深度通常是通过通常称为Li漂移的补偿技术获得的。不幸的是，Li漂移在室温下只是准稳定的，在更高的温度下非常不稳定。温度稳定性问题限制了这些探测器的性能和一般用途，因为它禁止了氧化物表面钝化和高温接触形成等现代器件处理技术。这项研究旨在研究一种替代硅补偿方法的可行性，该方法将允许敏感深度为3 mm，与高温氧化物钝化兼容，允许高温接触形成，并且比Li漂移更便宜。这项新技术应该会带来更便宜的X射线探测器，这种探测器将在热电或其他替代冷却技术所能获得的更高温度下令人满意地工作。它还应该使以合理的价格建造非常大的面积、深度敏感的深度探测器成为可能。一种可以取代锂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，特别是在便携式野外仪器领域。它还将在硅带电粒子探测器光谱学领域开启新的市场机遇，或许还将在光学探测器领域开启新的市场机遇。***

*** 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. ***