Max-planck-gesellschaft Zur F&#xf6;rderung Der Wissenschaften E. V.

Pnsensor Gmbh

Lothar Strueder

Gerhard Lutz

Peter Holl

Rainer Richter

Peter Lechner

Heike Soltau

Ladislav Andricek

Bianca Schweinfest

The invention concerns a radiation entry window () for a radiation detector (), in particular for a semiconductor drift detector (), with a flat window element (), which is at least partially permeable for the radiation to be detected by the radiation detector (), as well as with a window frame (), which laterally frames the window element (), wherein the window frame () consists of a semiconductor material and is considerably thicker than the window element (). (FIG.)

Radiation entry window for a radiation detector

The invention relates to a DEPFET transistor () for detecting a radio-generated signal charge () and for generating an electronic output signal in a manner dependent on the detected signal charge () according to a predetermined characteristic curve. The invention provides for the characteristic curve to have a degressive characteristic curve profile in order to combine a high measurement sensitivity in the case of small signal charges () with a large measurement range through to large signal charges ().

DEPFET transistor having a large dynamic range

The invention relates to a radiation detector () for detecting low-intensity radiation, especially for detecting individual photons. The radiation detector includes a plurality of rows of image cells () with respective pluralities of image cells () disposed one after the other and respective signal outputs (). The radiation to be detected generates signal charge carriers in the individual image cells (), the charge carriers being transported along the rows of image cells to the respective signal output (). A plurality of output amplifiers () are connected in parallel to one of the signal outputs each of the individual image cell columns and amplify the signal charge carriers. The invention is characterized in that the output amplifiers () include respective avalanche amplifiers ().

Radiation detector for detecting low-intensity radiation by means of avalanche amplification

The invention relates to a semiconductor detector, in particular a pnCCD detector, for radiation detection, including a guard ring () and a readout anode () arranged inside the guard ring () for reading out radiation-generated signal charge carriers (e&#x2212;), and also including a clearing contact () arranged outside the guard ring () for removing the collected signal charge carriers (e&#x2212;) from the readout anode (). According to the invention, the semiconductor detector furthermore includes a gap () in the guard ring () and also a controllable gate () which is arranged over the gap () in the guard ring () and makes the gap () in the guard ring () permeable or impermeable to the signal charge carriers (e&#x2212;) to be removed, depending on an electrical actuation of the gate ().

Semiconductor detector for radiation detection, and associated operating method

Semiconductor detector includes semiconductor substrate (HK), source region (S), drain region (D), external gate region (G) and inner gate region (IG) for collecting free charge carriers generated in semiconductor substrate, wherein inner gate region is arranged in semiconductor substrate at least partially under external gate region to control conduction channel (K) from below as a function of the accumulated charge carriers, as well as with clear contact (CL) for the removal of the accumulated charge carriers from inner gate region, as well as with drain-clear region (DCG) that can be selectively controlled as an auxiliary clear contact or as a drain. Barrier contact (B) is arranged in a lateral direction between external gate region and drain-clear region to build up a controllable potential barrier between inner gate region and clear contact that prevents the charge carriers accumulated in inner gate region from being removed by suction from clear contact.

Semiconductor structure, particularly in a semiconductor detector, and associated operating method

Described is a semiconductor detector for detecting electromagnetic radiation or particle radiation, comprising a semiconductor body () of a first conduction type, comprising first and second main surfaces; a group of drift electrodes comprising a second, opposite, conduction type, with said drift electrodes being arranged on the first main surface for generating at least one drift field in the semiconductor body (); and a counterelectrode arrangement () which is arranged on the second main surface, which comprises the second conduction type and which forms a radiation entry window, wherein the counterelectrode arrangement () comprises a two-dimensional main electrode () and at least one barrier electrode () which are electrically insulated from each other, and wherein the barrier electrode (), of which there is at least one, is connected to a voltage source () and is designed such that a blocking voltage is applied to it relative to the semiconductor body (), with said blocking voltage exceeding the blocking voltage of the main electrode ().

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Munich, Germany

Lothar Strueder