Radiant energy – Ionic separation or analysis – Static field-type ion path-bending selecting means
Patent
1985-12-24
1989-06-06
Moskowitz, Nelson
Radiant energy
Ionic separation or analysis
Static field-type ion path-bending selecting means
357 24, 357 29, 2503384, 2503381, 25037001, H01L 2714
Patent
active
048376078
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a large-area, low capacitance semiconductor arrangement 2.
Such a semiconductor arrangement can, for example, be used as a large-area radiation detector for charged particle radiation, .gamma.-radiation, X-radiation or light with wavelengths from the UV to the infrared.
BACKGROUND ART
A low capacitance semiconductor arrangement is, for example, known from publication No. 33,523 of the Brookhaven National Laboratory. However, this arrangement requires the application of clearly defined potential gradients to both sides. As a result of these potential gradients the semiconductor body is completely depleted and the necessary transverse drift field for the majority carriers is produced, for example, by the electrons in the case of n-conducting basic bodies.
In this known low capacitance semiconductor arrangement the minority carriers, for example the holes, are not used as an information source.
In the case of large-area arrangements, e.g. those having a sensitive surface of several cm.sup.2, this arrangement is not practicable due to the necessary structuring and due to the very long drift path of the electrons, leading to a reduction in the count rate.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The problem solved by the present invention is to so further develop a semiconductor arrangement that, while retaining low capacitance and with a comparatively low technical expenditure, it is possible to achieve short drift times of the electrons even in the case of large surfaces.
In accord with the present invention the semiconductor body, which may be of the n-type, is provided on one main surface with a large-area region of a second conductivity type, e.g. a p.sup.+ region, through which the radiation to be detected enters thereby defining an entrance aperture. On the other main surface are provided alternating regions of the second conductivity type and depletion regions of the first conductivity type, for example p.sup.+ and n.sup.+ regions, a reverse bias being applied to the n.sup.+ regions.
This arrangement leads to a curved configuration of the potential minimum for the majority carriers from one depletion region of the first conductivity type to the next. As a result the drift times of the electrons are significantly reduced and consequently the possible count rates are increased.
This arrangemnt has the advantage that the photolithography during production is greatly simplified, because there is no need to precisely adjust the masks for the front and rear surfaces.
A particularly simple construction of the invention is in the situation where voltages are only applied to a few selected regions of the second conductivity type of a main surface, as well as to zones of the first conductivity type provided on the same main surface. The regions of the second conductivity type on the surface facing this main surface, as well as the further regions of the second conductivity type, possibly on the main surface, in which the connected regions are provided, are automatically set to potentials between the potential of the zones of the first conductivity type and the potential of the connected regions of the second conductivity type. The potential minimum or potential trough is almost in contact with the unconnected main surface.
This obviates all contacting measures on a main surface, so that an easily produced detector is still obtained if there are numerous regions of the second conductivity type in both main surfaces. Moreover, the incident particle flow is not influenced by contacts, etc.
The usable voltages can be further increased by a large number of regions of the second conductivity type between the regions of the first conductivity type, a voltage only being applied in each case to one of these, because through the voltage drop at the individual regions of the second conductivity type, the breakdown voltage is not reached even in the case of a high applied voltage. A similar effect is obtained by large-area regions with a high resistance.
It is particularly advantage
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Kemmer Josef
Lutz Gerhard
Moskowitz Nelson
Sotomayor John B.
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