Integrated 2-D Silicon Detector for High-Count-Rate, Low-Noise X-Ray Applications

129 Integrated 2-D Silicon Detector for High-Count-Rate, Low-Noise X-Ray Applications--ARACOR, 425 Lakeside Drive, Sunnyvale, CA 94086-4704; (408) 733-7780 Dr. Yuzhong June Wang, Principal Investigator Mr. Ed LeBaker, Business Official DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-97ER82330 Amount: $75,000 Detectors used for nuclear physics research, synchrotron applications, and analytical x-ray instruments are currently limited by two main factors: the low count-rate capability and the need for liquid nitrogen cooling. The one-dimensional multi-element silicon detector, in conjunction with integrated circuit electronics, has demonstrated promising results for overcoming both of these limitations. Because small detector elements have inherently higher count rates and do not require cryogenic cooling, significant improvements in throughput and system cost can be achieved by integrating arrays of many small elements with the associated electronics. In Phase I of this project, an integrated two-dimensional silicon array detector will be developed. The energy resolution of the array detector will be similar to that of conventional cryogenically-cooled lithium-drifted silicon detectors, while the count-rate capability of the detector will be a 100 times higher. A larger two-dimensional multi-channel integrated-detector module will be developed during Phase II. That effort will be focused on system design aspects, such as packaging, details of the amplifier and analog-to-digital signal converter, the interface to standard personal computers, and data-acquisition software. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: These integrated X-ray detectors will find broad applications in spectroscopy and imaging. The spectroscopy market will use high count rate X-ray detectors with scanning electron microscopes for analysis of materials and biological chemicals. Also these detectors will be used for X-ray fluorescence spectrometers for both laboratory and process-control applications. In particular there is a need in the semiconductor industry for high count rate detectors, with good energy resolution, to monitor thin-film deposition during silicon-chip fabrication. Finally, there is a market for imaging sensors that includes radiography, tomography, and protein crystallography. _