SEMICONDUCTOR RADIATION DETECTORS WITH INTRINSIC AVALANCHE MULTIPLICATION IN SELF-LIMITING MODE OF OPERATION

摘要

The disclosed invention includes an apparatus and method for detecting radiation in a detector. The radiation to be detected ionizes the atoms in the intrinsic silicon lattice of the detector to produce a small signal of freed electrons. The small signal is then amplified by avalanche multiplication in a self-limiting manner by preventing the amplified electrons from traveling through a resistive layer, thereby reducing the electric field to limit the avalanche multiplication. An imaging system incorporating the new detector design is also disclosed.