2E1 Ar17+ decay and conventional radioactive sources to determine efficiency of semiconductor detectors

Emily Lamour (1) , Christophe Prigent (1) , Benjamin Eberhardt (1) , Jean-Pierre Rozet (1) , Dominique Vernhet (1)

1 INSP - Institut des Nanosciences de Paris

Although reliable models may predict the detection efficiency of semiconductor detectors, measurements are needed to check the parameters supplied by the manufacturers namely the thicknesses of dead layer, beryllium window and crystal active area. The efficiency of three silicon detectors has been precisely investigated in their entire photon energy range of detection. In the 0 to a few keV range, we have developed a new method based on the detection of the 2E1 decay of the metastable Ar17+ 2s -> 1s transition. Very good theoretical knowledge of the energetic distribution of the 2E1 decay mode enables precise characterization of the absorbing layers in front of the detectors. In the high-energy range (> 10 keV), the detector crystal thickness plays a major role in the detection efficiency and has been determined using a 241Am source.

Mots clés: nuclear energy level transitions; nuclei with mass number 39 to 58; position sensitive particle detectors; radioactive sources; radioactivity; semiconductor counters

Domaines: Physique Atomique [physics.atom-ph]

Emily Lamour, Christophe Prigent, Benjamin Eberhardt, Jean-Pierre Rozet, Dominique Vernhet. 2E1 Ar17+ decay and conventional radioactive sources to determine efficiency of semiconductor detectors. Review of Scientific Instruments, 2009, 80 (2), pp.023103. ⟨10.1063/1.3077284⟩. ⟨hal-00362327⟩