Temperature Stable Alternative to Li Compensation of Silicon Radiation Sensors

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。Si x射线探测器和其他一些Si探测器以及其他一些Si探测器应用所需的深敏感深度通常是通过通常称为Li漂移的Li补偿技术获得的。不幸的是，Li补偿，Si(Li)，在室温下是准稳定的，在高温下是非常不稳定的。这种温度稳定性问题限制了这些探测器的性能和一般用途，因为它禁止现代设备加工技术，如氧化物表面钝化和高温接触形成。缺乏氧化物表面钝化以限制表面泄漏电流产生的噪声，严重限制了Li补偿检测器的最高工作温度。缺乏坚固的氧化物钝化和坚固的扩散或植入触点严重限制了Si（Li）器件的工作环境。我们在这里概述了一种补偿Si的替代方法，该方法应允许敏感深度为3毫米，与高温氧化物钝化相兼容，允许高温接触形成，并且比Li漂移便宜得多。这项新技术将带来更便宜的x射线探测器，它将在热电或其他简单冷却技术而不是液氮所能达到的温度下运行良好。这也将使以合理的价格建造大面积、深敏感的深度探测器成为可能。

Silicon x-ray energy spectrometers have become very important tools for elemental analysis in research and industry. The deep sensitive depths required for Si x-ray detectors and some other Si detectors and some other Si detector applications are usually obtained by a Li compensation technique commonly referred to as Li Drifting. Unfortunately, the Li compensation, Si(Li), is only quasi-stable at room temperature and very unstable at higher temperatures. This 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. The lack of oxide surface passivation to limit noise from surface leakage currents places severe restrictions on the maximum operating temperature of Li compensated detectors. The lack of a rugged oxide passivation and rugged diffused or implanted contacts seriously restricts the operating ambient of Si(Li) devices. We outline here an alternative approach to compensation of Si which should allow sensitive depths 3 mm, be compatible with high temperature oxide passivations, allow high temperature contact formation, and be much cheaper than Li drifting. This new technology should result in cheaper x-ray detectors which will operate well at temperatures obtainable with thermoelectric or other simple cooling techniques rather than liquid nitrogen. It should also make it possible to build very large area, deep sensitive depth detectors at reasonable prices.