NEW SILICON PHOTODIODE FOR SCINTILLATION SPECTROSCOPY

OPTICAL DETECTOR SYSTEMS HAVE SERIOUS DEFICIENCIES IN TERMS OF QUANTUM EFFICIENCY OR SIGNAL-TO-NOISE RATIO. THESE SILICON DRIFT PHOTODIODES CAN BE MADE WITH VERY LOW NOISE AND IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED THAT THESE DEVICES MAY BE QUITE USEFUL AS SCINTILLATION PHOTODECECTORS. PRODUCE SILICON DRIFT PHOTODIODES, WHICH ARE A DERIVATIVE OF DEVICES WHICH ARE AT PRESENT BEING DEVELOPED FOR APPLICATIONS IN OTHER DISCIPLINES (HIGH ENERGY PHYSICS),WHILE OPTIMIZING THEIR QUANTUM EFFICIENCY AT BLUE-GREEN (400TO 500 NM) WAVELENGTHS. THIS WILL BE DONE BY PERFORMING AN "OPTIMIZED" SERIES OF P(+) DIFFUSIONS TO THE FRONT (LIGHT-SENSITIVE) SURFACE OF THE DEVICE. FABRICATION OF THESE DEVICES WILL BE PERFORMED AT THE MASSACHUSETTS MICROELECTRONIC CENTER, AND TESTING WILL BE DONE AT RMD AND THE UNIVERSITY OF LOWELL.