Silicon detectors for γ-ray and β-spectroscopy

Large active volume Si(Li) detectors were successfully developed for γ-ray spectrometry at room temperature that show a sufficient efficiency and an energy resolution that is better than scintillation detectors. The higher efficiency of the proposed detectors with respect to normal silicon diodes is achieved by increasing the active volume. For this purpose special attention is given to the selection of the initial material which has to show homogeneous electro-physical parameters, low concentration of oxygen impurities and high structural perfection. The technique of using lithium ions is used as these drift into large depths and hence the profile of the impurity distribution is optimized

Silicon detectors for gamma-ray and beta spectroscopy

Large active volume Si(Li) detectors were successfully developed for gamma-ray spectrometry at room temperature that show a sufficient efficiency and an energy resolution that is better than scintillation detectors. The higher efficiency of the proposed detectors with respect to normal silicon diodes is achieved by increasing the active volume. For this purpose special attention is given to the selection of the initial material which has to show homogeneous electrophysical parameters, low concentration of oxygen impurities and high structural perfection. The technique of using lithium ions is used as these drift into large depths and hence the profile of the impurity distribution is optimized

Radiation-hard semiconductor detectors for SuperLHC.

An option of increasing the luminosity of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN to 1035 cm−2 s−1 has been envisaged to extend the physics reach of the machine. An efficient tracking down to a few centimetres from the interaction point will be required to exploit the physics potential of the upgraded LHC. As a consequence, the semiconductor detectors close to the interaction region will receive severe doses of fast hadron irradiation and the inner tracker detectors will need to survive fast hadron fluences of up to above 1016 cm−2. The CERN-RD50 project “Development of Radiation Hard Semiconductor Devices for Very High Luminosity Colliders” has been established in 2002 to explore detector materials and technologies that will allow to operate devices up to, or beyond, this limit. The strategies followed by RD50 to enhance the radiation tolerance include the development of new or defect engineered detector materials (SiC, GaN, Czochralski and epitaxial silicon, oxygen enriched Float Zone silicon), the improvement of present detector designs and the understanding of the microscopic defects causing the degradation of the irradiated detectors. The latest advancements within the RD50 collaboration on radiation hard semiconductor detectors will be reviewed and discussed in this work

Recent advancements in the development of radiation hard semiconductor detectors for S-LHC

The proposed luminosity upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider (S-LHC) at CERN will demand the innermost layers of the vertex detectors to sustain fluences of about 1016 hadrons/cm2. Due to the high multiplicity of tracks, the required spatial resolution and the extremely harsh radiation field new detector concepts and semiconductor materials have to be explored for a possible solution of this challenge. The CERN RD50 collaboration “Development of Radiation Hard Semiconductor Devices for Very High Luminosity Colliders” has started in 2002 an R&D program for the development of detector technologies that will fulfill the requirements of the S-LHC. Different strategies are followed by RD50 to improve the radiation tolerance. These include the development of defect engineered silicon like Czochralski, epitaxial and oxygen-enriched silicon and of other semiconductor materials like SiC and GaN as well as extensive studies of the microscopic defects responsible for the degradation of irradiated sensors. Further, with 3D, Semi-3D and thin devices new detector concepts have been evaluated. These and other recent advancements of the RD50 collaboration are presented and discussed

Development of radiation tolerant semiconductor detectors for the Super-LHC.

The envisaged upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN towards the Super-LHC (SLHC) with a 10 times increased luminosity of 1035 cm−2 s−1 will present severe challenges for the tracking detectors of the SLHC experiments. Unprecedented high radiation levels and track densities and a reduced bunch crossing time in the order of 10 ns as well as the need for cost effective detectors have called for an intensive R&D program. The CERN RD50 collaboration “Development of Radiation Hard Semiconductor Devices for Very High Luminosity Colliders” is working on the development of semiconductor sensors matching the requirements of the SLHC. Sensors based on defect engineered silicon like Czochralski, epitaxial and oxygen enriched silicon have been developed. With 3D, Semi-3D and thin detectors new detector concepts have been evaluated and a study on the use of standard and oxygen enriched p-type silicon detectors revealed a promising approach for radiation tolerant cost effective devices. These and other most recent advancements of the RD50 collaboration are presented