| 摘要 |
An electron detector ( 30 ) for detection of electrons comprises a semiconductor wafer ( 11 ) having a central portion ( 12 ) with a thickness of at most 150 mum, preferably at most 100 mum, formed by etching an area of a thicker wafer. On opposite sides of the central portion ( 12 ) there are n-type and p-type contacts ( 16, 31 ). In operation, a reverse bias is applied across the contacts ( 16, 31 ) and electrons incident on the layer ( 15 ) of intrinsic semiconductor material between the contacts ( 16, 31 ) generate electron-hole pairs which accelerate towards the contacts ( 16, 31 ) where they may detected as a signal. Conductive terminals ( 24, 32 ) contact the contacts ( 16, 31 ) and are connected to a signal processing circuit in IC chips ( 28, 37 ) mounted to the semiconductor wafer ( 11 ) outside the active area of the detector ( 30 ). The contacts ( 16, 31 ) are shaped as arrays of strips extending orthogonally on the two sides of the intrinsic layer ( 15 ) to provide two-dimensional spatial resolution. In an alternative detector ( 10 ), there is a single contact ( 19 ) on one side to provide one-dimensional spatial resolution.
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