Silicon drift detector with reduced lateral diffusion: experimental results

In a standard multi-anode silicon drift detector electron cloud broadening during the drifting towards the anode pixels deteriorates the energy and po sition resolution. This makes the detector less applicable for detection of low-energy X-rays. The signal charge sharing between several anodes can be eliminated by introducing sawtooth-shaped p(+) held strips. The sawtooth s tructure results in small electric fields directed parallel to the sensor s urface and perpendicular to the drift direction which produce gutters. The drifting electrons are confined in these gutters of one saw tooth period wi de. For a detector with a sawtooth period of 500 mu m, we have measured the maximum number of fully confined electrons as a function of the potential gutter depth induced by different sawtooth angles. (C) 2000 Elsevier Scienc e B.V. All rights reserved.