Improvement in the Low Energy Collection Efficiency of Si(Li) X-Ray Detectors

Published

April 7, 2005

Author(s)

C E. Cox, Daniel A. Fischer, W G. Schwarz, Y Song

Abstract

Soft X-ray beam-line applications are of fundamental importance to material research, and commonly employ high-resolution Si(Li) detectors for Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy. However, the measurement of X-rays below 1 keV compromised by absorption in the material layers in front of the active crystal and a dead-layer at the crystal surface. Various Schottky barrier type contacts were investigated resulting in a 40% reduction of the dead-layer thickness and a factor of two increased sensitivity at carbon K compared to the standard Si(Li) detector. Si(Li) detectors were tested on the U7A soft X-ray beam-line at the National Synchrotron Light Source and on a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM).

Citation

Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research Section B-Beam Interactions With Materials and Atoms

Volume

241

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

14-channel multi-element array detector, collection efficiency below 1keV, dead layer, Si(Li) detector

Citation

Cox, C. , Fischer, D. , Schwarz, W. and Song, Y. (2005), Improvement in the Low Energy Collection Efficiency of Si(Li) X-Ray Detectors, Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research Section B-Beam Interactions With Materials and Atoms (Accessed October 9, 2025)