High-resolution ionization detector and array of such detectors

• US 6,175,120 B1
• Filed: 05/08/1998
• Issued: 01/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sandia Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation), Board of Regents of the University of Michigan (University of Michigan), University of Michigan
• Original Assignee: Sandia Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation), Board of Regents of the University of Michigan (University of Michigan)
• Inventors: McGregor, Douglas S., Rojeski, Ronald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannaher, Constantine
• Application Number:
  US09/075,351
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 250/370.13, 250/370.06
• US Class Current: 250/370.13
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/24 with semiconductor detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/241 Electrode arrangements, e.g. continuous or parallel strips or the like constructional or manufacturing details H01L31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/115 Devices sensitive to very short wavelength, e.g. X-rays, gamma-rays or corpuscular radiation

Abstract

A high-resolution ionization detector and an array of such detectors are described which utilize a reference pattern of conductive or semiconductive material to form interaction, pervious and measurement regions in an ionization substrate of, for example, CdZnTe material. The ionization detector is a room temperature semiconductor radiation detector. Various geometries of such a detector and an array of such detectors produce room temperature operated gamma ray spectrometers with relatively high resolution. For example, a 1 cm³ detector is capable of measuring ¹³⁷Cs 662 keV gamma rays with room temperature energy resolution approaching 2% at FWHM. Two major types of such detectors include a parallel strip semiconductor Frisch grid detector and the geometrically weighted trapezoid prism semiconductor Frisch grid detector. The geometrically weighted detector records room temperature (24° C.) energy resolutions of 2.68% FWHM for ¹³⁷Cs 662 keV gamma rays and 2.45% FWHM for ⁶⁰Co 1.332 MeV gamma rays. The detectors perform well without any electronic pulse rejection, correction or compensation techniques. The devices operate at room temperature with simple commercially available NIM bin electronics and do not require special preamplifiers or cooling stages for good spectroscopic results.

Claims

1. A high-resolution, ionization detector comprising:

an ionization substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface;

a first electrode disposed at the first surface;

a second electrode disposed at the second surface;

a reference pattern of conductive or semiconductive material which divides the ionization substrate into an interaction region, a measurement region and a pervious region which separates the interaction and measurement regions wherein the pervious region defines a reference plane to measure charge carrier movement in the measurement region and directs charge carrier flow within the substrate;

voltage potential circuits for applying voltage potentials to the reference pattern of material and to the first and second electrodes so that a bias voltage is applied across substantially the entire substrate and so the voltage potential applied to the reference pattern is between the voltage potentials applied to the first and second electrodes, wherein charge carriers of a first polarity type move from the interaction region, through the pervious region and into the measurement region; and

a signal measurement circuit for measuring at the second electrode a signal generated by the charge carriers of the first polarity type moving from the interaction region, through the pervious region and within the measurement region between the pervious region and the second surface wherein the substrate also has a third surface and a fourth surface opposing the third surface between the first and second surfaces and wherein the reference pattern includes a first strip disposed at the third surface and a second strip disposed at the fourth surface.

2. The detector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the reference pattern is a grid.

3. The detector as claimed in claim 2 wherein the grid is a Frisch grid.

4. The detector as claimed in claim 3 wherein the Frisch grid includes at least two strips of conductive or semi-conductive material.

5. The detector as claimed in claim 4 wherein the at least two strips are substantially parallel.

6. The detector as claimed in claim 5 wherein the at least two strips are spaced two millimeters or less apart.

7. The detector as claimed in claim 3 wherein the Frisch grid includes concentric and segmented strips.

8. The detector as claimed in claim 3 wherein the Frisch grid includes a pair of substantially parallel strips and wherein the pervious region is substantially larger than the measurement region.

9. The detector as claimed in claim 2 wherein the grid includes at least two substantially parallel strips.

10. The detector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the material of the reference pattern is P-type, semiconductor material.

11. The detector as claimed in claim 10 wherein the reference pattern is a grid of P-type semi-conductor material buried in the substrate.

12. The detector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the material of the reference pattern is N-type, semiconductor material.

13. The detector as claimed in claim 12 wherein the reference pattern is a grid of N-type semiconductor material buried in the substrate.

14. The detector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the reference pattern includes at least two strips having substantially the same voltage potential applied thereto.

15. The detector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the detector is a radiation detector.

16. The detector as claimed in claim 15 wherein the radiation detector is a semiconductor, single-charge carrier, radiation detector and wherein the substrate is a semiconductor substrate.

17. The detector as claimed in claim 16 wherein the semiconductor substrate is CdZnTe semiconductor substrate.

18. The detector as claimed in claim 17 wherein the detector is a room temperature, gamma ray detector.

19. The detector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the signal measurement circuit includes a single preamplifier circuit.

20. The detector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first electrode is substantially larger than the second electrode.

21. The detector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the substrate is shaped like a trapezoid.

22. The detector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the substrate is shaped like a pyramid frustum.

23. The detector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the substrate is shaped like a conical frustum.

24. The detector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first surface is a curved surface.

25. The detector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second surface has a plurality of trenches formed therein separated by towers and wherein the reference pattern is formed in the trenches and the second electrode is formed on the towers so that the reference pattern is a Frisch grid.

26. The detector as claimed in claim 25 wherein the plurality of trenches extend in different directions to substantially isolate the towers.

27. The detector as claimed in claim 25 wherein the first surface is a curved surface.

28. The detector as claimed in claim 27 wherein the substrate also has a third surface and a fourth surface opposing the third surface between the first and second surfaces and wherein the third and fourth surfaces are substantially coplanar.

29. An array of detectors wherein each of the detectors is a detector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the substrates of the detectors are formed from either a single crystal or an amorphous material.

30. An array of detectors wherein each of the detectors is a detector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the substrates of the detectors are formed from either separate crystals or amorphous materials.

31. The array as claimed in claim 30 wherein the detectors are arranged so that the array forms a substantially coaxial or spherical device.

32. The detector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the reference pattern is a membrane buried in the substrate and wherein charge carriers of the first polarity type punch through or tunnel through the membrane and into the measurement region.

33. A high-resolution, ionization detector comprising:

an ionization substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface;

a first electrode disposed at the first surface;

a second electrode disposed at the second surface;

a reference pattern of conductive or semiconductive material which divides the ionization substrate into an interaction region, a measurement region and a pervious region which separates the interaction and measurement regions wherein the pervious region defines a reference plane to measure charge carrier movement in the measurement region and directs charge carrier flow within the substrate;

voltage potential circuits for applying voltage potentials to the reference pattern of material and to the first and second electrodes so that a bias voltage is applied across substantially the entire substrate and so the voltage potential applied to the reference pattern is between the voltage potentials applied to the first and second electrodes, wherein charge carriers of a first polarity type move from the interaction region, through the pervious region and into the measurement region; and

a signal measurement circuit for measuring at the second electrode a signal generated by the charge carriers of the first polarity type moving from the interaction region, through the pervious region and within the measurement region between the pervious region and the second surface wherein the substrate also has a third surface and a fourth surface opposing the third surface between the first and second surfaces and wherein the reference pattern is a Frisch grid ring disposed at the third and fourth surfaces.

34. A high-resolution, ionization detector comprising:

an ionization substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface;

a first electrode disposed at the first surface;

a second electrode disposed at the second surface;

a reference pattern of conductive or semiconductive material which divides the ionization substrate into an interaction region, a measurement region and a pervious region which separates the interaction and measurement regions wherein the pervious region defines a reference plane to measure charge carrier movement in the measurement region and directs charge carrier flow within the substrate;

voltage potential circuits for applying voltage potentials to the reference pattern of material and to the first and second electrodes so that a bias voltage is applied across substantially the entire substrate and so the voltage potential applied to the reference pattern is between the voltage potentials applied to the first and second electrodes, wherein charge carriers of a first polarity type move from the interaction region, through the pervious region and into the measurement region; and

a signal measurement circuit for measuring at the second electrode a signal generated by the charge carriers of the first polarity type moving from the interaction region, through the pervious region and within the measurement region between the pervious region and the second surface wherein the substrate also has a third surface and a fourth surface opposing the third surface between the first and second surfaces and wherein the reference pattern is a non-contacting Frisch grid spaced away from the third and fourth surfaces.

35. The detector as claimed in claim 34 further comprising insulating material disposed between the non-contacting Frisch grid and the third and fourth surfaces.

36. The detector as claimed in claim 34 wherein the non-contacting Frisch grid includes a pair of substantially parallel strips.

37. The detector as claimed in claim 34 wherein the non-contacting Frisch grid is a Frisch grid ring.