Study of the characteristics of silicon MESA radiation detectors

The MESA. process for building silicon diodes is described. I-V and C-V fea tures of MESA detectors are given. Results of pulse-height spectra measurem ents with alpha particles incident on the front and back sides of a MESA di ode establish the energy resolution of these detectors, show the evolution of their response as a function of applied bias voltage, and bring informat ion about the influence of MESA structure on charge collection. The charact eristics of MESA detectors as a function of fluence are investigated in vie w of their possible use in high particle fluence environment. Charge collec tion data obtained from the measurements of the current-pulse response indu ced by beta and alpha particles are presented as a function of applied bias voltage and particle fluence. Some electrical characteristics of detector material, namely the effective impurity or dopant concentrations (N-eff), t he electron (mu (e)) and hole (mu (h)) mobilities, are studied as a functio n of fluence using a charge transport model. A comparison is made with the features of standard planar (SP) silicon detectors. (C) 2001 Elsevier Scien ce B.V. All rights reserved.