| 摘要 |
A multilayer semiconductor scintillator is disclosed for detection, energy quantification, and determination to source of high-energy radiation, such as gamma or X-ray photons or other particles that produce ionizing interaction in semiconductors. The basic embodiment of the inventive detector comprises a multiplicity of stacked direct-gap compound semiconductor wafers, such as InP and GaAs, each wafer heavily doped n-type so as to maximize its transparency to scintillating radiation. Each wafer is further endowed with surface means for detection of said scintillating radiation, such a hetero-epitaxial p-i-n photodiode. In a preferred embodiment, the photodiode layer in each wafer is pixellated so as to provide the x and y coordinates of an ionizing interaction event. Combined with the z coordinate provided by the wafer index in the stack, the inventive detector yields the three-dimensional coordinates of each ionizing interaction event associated with absorption of an individual quantum of high-energy radiation. This three-dimensional information enables a further disclosed advantageous analysis method that is suitable for rapid identification of radioactive isotopes and determination of the direction to the source of radiation.
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