CHARACTERISTICS OF LARGE-AREA SILICON SURFACE-BARRIER DETECTORS

This paper presents a detailed description of an upgraded silicon surf ace barrier (SE) detector and analysis of X and gamma radiation and of the spectra given by it. The most frequently used application of thes e detectors was in measurements and analyses of alpha spectra. However , analysis of spectra gained here presented a silicon surface barrier detector showing possibilities of their wider application in various n uclear techniques and technologies. This specially referes to the feas ibility of their use in the conditions that are different from those i n laboratories, such as mines, surroundings of nuclear power plants et c. Recorded spectra from Co-57, show that SE detectors are very accept able in nuclear laboratories for nuclear spectroscopy at room temperat ures. On the contrary, field application in nuclear techniques connect ed with the protection of the environment and counting systems is much wider, and the detector temperature could reach 60 degrees C. (C) 199 7 Elsevier Science S.A.