Present status and perspectives of the radiation detectors based on InP materials

Recent results on the electrical properties and detection performances of the semi-insulating InP-based detectors and future programmes are presented. Schottky barrier detectors with a nitride barrier-enhanced interfacial layer and the Schottky back contacts, using material from MASPEC, exhibited a charge collection efficiency (CCE) over 75% and an energy resolution of 4.5% full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) for 5.48 MeV α-particles at RT, CCE over 90% and FWHM less than 3% at 230 K. Furthermore, they are able to detect γ-rays (122 and 60 keV photons) when cooled down to 240 K. New detectors, fabricated with liquid-encapsulated Czochralski material (LEC), produced with a special high-temperature annealing treatment from Japan Energy, coated with an original patented buffer layer and with a symmetrical circular contact configuration using both-sided photolithography and a final electrode metallisation Ti/Pt/Au for both sides, give the best results with a CCE over 88% and a FWHM less than 9% for detection of 122 keV γ-rays.