SILICON DRIFT DETECTOR - THE KEY TO NEW EXPERIMENTS

Originally designed as position-sensitive detectors for particle track ing, silicon drift detectors are nowadays used for high-count-rate X-r ay spectroscopy, operating close to room temperature. Due to their low -capacitance read-node concept, they are among the fastest high-resolu tion detector systems. They have opened a new spectrum of experiments in the wide field of X-ray spectroscopy: fluorescent analysis, diffrac tometry, material analysis, synchrotron experiments and X-ray holograp hy. In addition, the detection of visible light, near-infrared light a nd UV light is measured with high efficiency. The low-noise readout of the light of scintillation crystals extends the spectrum of possiblit ies to the hard X- and gamma-ray spectrum. The fact that the detector system can be used at room temperature with good spectroscopic perform ance, and at -10 degrees C with excellent energy resolution, avoiding liquid nitrogen for cooling and high-quality vacuum, guarantees a larg e variety of new applications, independent of the laboratory environme nt. A brief description of the device principles is followed by basics on low-noise amplification. The performance figures of a complete det ector system are presented along with some already realized dedicated applications, with emphasis on a recently operated ''mini-spectrometer '' for the analysis of works of art.