Analysis of the surface technology of silicon detectors for imaging of low-energy beta tracers in biological material

Using silicon surface barrier detectors, the counting sensitivity of low-en ergy beta tracers is considerably influenced by surface technology applied in detector manufacturing. Original diagnostic procedure, using a mixture o f uranium fission products, is described to trace the behaviors of differen t admixtures as in the etching bath as in the water used during development of the detector surface. In combination with some other described analyses , the detectors produced with the developed surface control are used in a P C - controlled scanning equipment reaching at room temperature an FWHM of 3 .4 keV for Am-241. Such detectors make it possible to image distribution, o f e.g., H-3, I-125, H-3 + C-14 and other beta tracer combinations applied i n life and environmental sciences. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All right s reserved.