A micrometric thickness silicon diode proposed as a microdosimeter

Author

Fazzi, Alberto ; Agosteo, Stefano ; Pola, Andrea ; Varoli, Vincenzo ; Zotto, Pierluigi

Author_Institution

Nucl. Eng. Dept., Milano Univ.

Volume

53

Issue

1

fYear

2006

Firstpage

312

Lastpage

316

Abstract

A thin silicon diode formed by a deep p+ implantation under a shallow n+ one is proposed as a solid state microdosimeter. The thickness of the sensitive layer of the tested device is about two micrometers and the active area is about 10 mm². Due to the very large electric capacitance of the diode (about 1 nF) a low noise read-out circuit based on a discrete JFET has been developed. The noise due to the parasitic resistance of the detector itself dominates and fixes the lower threshold of the energy spectrum. A prototype of the proposed microdosimeter covered with a polyethylene converter has been irradiated with fast monoenergetic neutrons at the INFN-Legnaro Labs (I). The first experimental spectra are in good agreement with the simulated ones. The effect of direct interactions of thermal neutrons in silicon has been measured

Keywords

dosimeters; junction gate field effect transistors; silicon radiation detectors; JFET; deep p⁺ implantation; electric capacitance; low-noise read-out circuit based; monoenergetic neutrons; parasitic resistance; polyethylene converter; shallow n⁺ implantation; silicon diode; solid state microdosimeter; thermal neutron interactions; Circuit noise; Circuit testing; Detectors; Diodes; Electric resistance; JFET circuits; Neutrons; Parasitic capacitance; Silicon; Solid state circuits; Field funnelling; microdosimetry; sensitive volume; silicon diode; silicon microdosimetry;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Nuclear Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9499

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TNS.2006.869832

Filename

1610994