Silicon drift detectors for high count rate X-ray spectroscopy at room temperature

Silicon Drift Detectors (SDDs) combine a large sensitive area with a small value of the output capacitance and are therefore well suited for high reso lution, high count rate X-ray spectroscopy. The low leakage current level o btained by the elaborated processing technology makes it possible to operat e them at room temperature or with moderate cooling. A brief description of the device principle is followed by the presentation of first results of a new production of large area SDDs with external electronics. Performance a nd applications of the already established SDDs with on-chip amplification are summarised. Various shapes of Multichannel Drift Detectors are introduc ed as well as their use in new experiments like X-ray holography and in new systems like an Anger camera for gamma -ray imaging. (C) 2001 Elsevier Sci ence B.V. All rights reserved.