Efficiency Response Modelling of Semiconductor X-Ray Detectors

Semiconductor x-ray detectors, usually Si(Li) and Ge(Li), are routinely used in pure and applied science whenever high-resolution, energy-dispersive analysis is required. In many applications, the absolute full-energy efficiency of the detector needs to be known in order to derive the true intensity from the measured intensity. Investigators have used a variety of methods to determine the energy-dependent efficiency response of these detectors. This paper reviews some of these methods, with emphasis placed on the model-based parametric efficiency response determination procedure of Gallagher and Cipolla1.