Journal of Nuclear Science, Engineering and Technology (JONSAT)
In cooperation with the Iranian Nuclear Society

Simulation of avalanche low-gain sensor performance in X-ray detection

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

M. Dansi
M.B. Fathi

Condensed Matter Department, Faculty of Physics, Kharazmi University, P.O.Box: 31979-37551, Tehran - Iran

https://doi.org/10.24200/nst.2023.1274.1827
Abstract
X-ray applications in imaging and beyond require efficient and optimal detectors. Energy separation, time loss, and manufacturing cost are among the features that led us to design a semiconductor detector. A low-gain avalanche diode (LGAD) with internal amplification allows, in a sufficient field, the internal propagation process by accelerating the carriers, the energy required for ionization, and the generation of secondary carriers to produce a better gain (higher signal-to-noise ratio) and also provide more time efficiency (in the range of nanoseconds). In this article, we simulate the LGAD silicon detector with Silvaco software by applying reverse bias voltage and radiation in the range of visible light to X-ray. Newton and Gummel's methods were used. In Newton's method, one of the mechanisms of radiation interaction with matter is considered variable and the rest are fixed. However, in Gummel's method, all mechanisms are solved simultaneously. In the X-ray wavelength range, the electron current in this detector is 10-4 amperes, and this current decreases with increasing energy. The dark current is 10-6 amperes. By applying visible light with 0.45-micrometer wavelength and 1 V/cm2 intensity, the detector current was obtained about 6.5×10-4 amperes. For 1.0×10-5 x-ray wavelength and 108 V/cm2 intensity, detector current was obtained about 3.5×10-4 amperes. Considering the quick response time of this detector and the current in the range of microamps, this detector is a suitable option for X-ray detection. Also, this detector shows superior performance in the visible light range.

Highlights

  1. Moy J.P. Recent developments in X-ray imaging detectors. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators. Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment. 2000;442(1-3):26-37.

 

  1. Kasap S.O, Kabir M.Z, Rowlands J.A. Recent advances in X-ray photoconductors for direct conversion X-ray image detectors. Current Applied Physics. 2006;6(3):288-292.

 

  1. Zhang H, Wang F, Lu Y, Sun Q, Xu Y, Zhang B.B, Jie W, Kanatzidis M.G. High-sensitivity X-ray detectors based on solution-grown caesium lead bromide single crystals. Journal of Materials Chemistry C. 2020;8(4):1248-1256.

 

  1. Ferrero M, Arcidiacono R, Borghi G, Boscardin M, Cartiglia N, Costa M, Dalla Betta G.F, Ficorella F, Mandurrino M, Obertino M.M, Pancheri L, Paternoster G, Siviero F, Sola V, Staiano A, Tornago M, Centis Vignali M. Evolution of the design of ultra fast silicon detector to cope with high irradiation fluences and fine segmentation. Journal of Instrumentation. 2020;15(04):C04027.

 

  1. Rizzo G, Comotti D, Fabris L, Grassi M, Lodola L, Malcovati P, Manghisoni M, Ratti L, Re V, Traversi G, Vacchi C, Batignani G, Bettarini S, Casarosa G, Forti F, Morsani F, Paladino A, Paoloni E, Dalla Betta G.-F., Pancheri L, Verzellesi G, Xu H, Mendicino R, Benkechkache M.A. The PixFEL project: development of advanced X-ray pixel detectors for application at future FEL facilities. Journal of Instrumentation. 2015;10(02):C02024.

 

  1. Knoll G.F. Radiation detection and measurement. John Wiley & Sons. 2010.

 

  1. Ahmed S.N. Physics and engineering of radiation detection. Academic Press. 2007.

 

  1. Attwood D. Soft x-rays and extreme ultraviolet radiation: principles and applications. Cambridge university press. 2000.

 

  1. Nabipour J.S, Khorshidi A. Spectroscopy and optimizing semiconductor detector data under X and γ photons using image processing technique. Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences. 2018;49(2):194-200.

 

  1. Zhou X, Li X.Q, Xie Y.N, Liu C.Z, Zhang S, Wu J.J, Zhang J, Li X.F, Zhang Y.F, Li B, Hu H.L, Chen Y.P, Jiang W, Li Z. Introduction to a calibration facility for hard X-ray detectors. Experimental Astronomy. 2014;38(3):433-441.

 

  1. Zhongming Z, Linong L, Xiaona Y, Wangqiang Z, Wei L. Introduction to a calibration facility for hard X-ray detectors. 2014.

 

  1. Atak H, Shikhaliev P.M. Photon counting x‐ray imaging with K‐edge filtered x‐rays: A simulation study. Medical Physics. 2016;43(3):1385-1400.

 

  1. Shimizu Y, Takamizawa H, Inoue K, Yano F, Kudo S, Nishida A, Toyama T, Nagai Y. Impact of carbon co-implantation on boron distribution and activation in silicon studied by atom probe tomography and spreading resistance measurements. Japanese Journal of Applied Physics. 2016;55(2):026501.

 

  1. Endo K, Yanaga M, Yoshikawa H, Horiuchi K, Nakahara H, Murakami Y. Determination of radon concentration in spring gases with a portable semiconductor detector. The International Journal of Applied Radiation and Isotopes. 1985;36(3):197-201.

 

  1. Endo K, Yanaga M, Yoshikawa H, Horiuchi K, Nakahara H, Murakami Y. Determination of radon concentration in spring gases with a portable semiconductor detector. The International Journal of Applied Radiation and Isotopes. 1985;36(3):197-201.

 

  1. Hansen J.S, McGeorge J.C, Fink R.W. Efficiency calibration of semiconductor detectors in the X-ray region. Nuclear Instruments and Methods. 1973;112(1-2):239-241.

 

  1. Parker C.J. Realization of planar silicon sensors for fast timing experiments. University of California. Santa Cruz. 2013.

 

  1. Manual A.U. Silvaco International. Santa Clara. CA. 2000;95054:23.

 

  1. Pellegrini G, Fernández-Martínez P, Baselga M, Fleta C, Flores D, Greco V, Hidalgo S, Mandić I, Kramberger G, Quirion D, Ullan M. Technology development and first measurement of low gain avalanche detector (LGAD) for high energy physics applications. Journal of Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A. 2014.

 

  1. Maiti C.K. Introducing Technology Computer-Aided Design (TCAD): Fundamentals, Simulations, and Applications. CRC Press. 2017.

Keywords

X-ray
Radiography
Detector
Low gain avalanche sensor
  1. Moy J.P. Recent developments in X-ray imaging detectors. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators. Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment. 2000;442(1-3):26-37.

 

  1. Kasap S.O, Kabir M.Z, Rowlands J.A. Recent advances in X-ray photoconductors for direct conversion X-ray image detectors. Current Applied Physics. 2006;6(3):288-292.

 

  1. Zhang H, Wang F, Lu Y, Sun Q, Xu Y, Zhang B.B, Jie W, Kanatzidis M.G. High-sensitivity X-ray detectors based on solution-grown caesium lead bromide single crystals. Journal of Materials Chemistry C. 2020;8(4):1248-1256.

 

  1. Ferrero M, Arcidiacono R, Borghi G, Boscardin M, Cartiglia N, Costa M, Dalla Betta G.F, Ficorella F, Mandurrino M, Obertino M.M, Pancheri L, Paternoster G, Siviero F, Sola V, Staiano A, Tornago M, Centis Vignali M. Evolution of the design of ultra fast silicon detector to cope with high irradiation fluences and fine segmentation. Journal of Instrumentation. 2020;15(04):C04027.

 

  1. Rizzo G, Comotti D, Fabris L, Grassi M, Lodola L, Malcovati P, Manghisoni M, Ratti L, Re V, Traversi G, Vacchi C, Batignani G, Bettarini S, Casarosa G, Forti F, Morsani F, Paladino A, Paoloni E, Dalla Betta G.-F., Pancheri L, Verzellesi G, Xu H, Mendicino R, Benkechkache M.A. The PixFEL project: development of advanced X-ray pixel detectors for application at future FEL facilities. Journal of Instrumentation. 2015;10(02):C02024.

 

  1. Knoll G.F. Radiation detection and measurement. John Wiley & Sons. 2010.

 

  1. Ahmed S.N. Physics and engineering of radiation detection. Academic Press. 2007.

 

  1. Attwood D. Soft x-rays and extreme ultraviolet radiation: principles and applications. Cambridge university press. 2000.

 

  1. Nabipour J.S, Khorshidi A. Spectroscopy and optimizing semiconductor detector data under X and γ photons using image processing technique. Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences. 2018;49(2):194-200.

 

  1. Zhou X, Li X.Q, Xie Y.N, Liu C.Z, Zhang S, Wu J.J, Zhang J, Li X.F, Zhang Y.F, Li B, Hu H.L, Chen Y.P, Jiang W, Li Z. Introduction to a calibration facility for hard X-ray detectors. Experimental Astronomy. 2014;38(3):433-441.

 

  1. Zhongming Z, Linong L, Xiaona Y, Wangqiang Z, Wei L. Introduction to a calibration facility for hard X-ray detectors. 2014.

 

  1. Atak H, Shikhaliev P.M. Photon counting x‐ray imaging with K‐edge filtered x‐rays: A simulation study. Medical Physics. 2016;43(3):1385-1400.

 

  1. Shimizu Y, Takamizawa H, Inoue K, Yano F, Kudo S, Nishida A, Toyama T, Nagai Y. Impact of carbon co-implantation on boron distribution and activation in silicon studied by atom probe tomography and spreading resistance measurements. Japanese Journal of Applied Physics. 2016;55(2):026501.

 

  1. Endo K, Yanaga M, Yoshikawa H, Horiuchi K, Nakahara H, Murakami Y. Determination of radon concentration in spring gases with a portable semiconductor detector. The International Journal of Applied Radiation and Isotopes. 1985;36(3):197-201.

 

  1. Endo K, Yanaga M, Yoshikawa H, Horiuchi K, Nakahara H, Murakami Y. Determination of radon concentration in spring gases with a portable semiconductor detector. The International Journal of Applied Radiation and Isotopes. 1985;36(3):197-201.

 

  1. Hansen J.S, McGeorge J.C, Fink R.W. Efficiency calibration of semiconductor detectors in the X-ray region. Nuclear Instruments and Methods. 1973;112(1-2):239-241.

 

  1. Parker C.J. Realization of planar silicon sensors for fast timing experiments. University of California. Santa Cruz. 2013.

 

  1. Manual A.U. Silvaco International. Santa Clara. CA. 2000;95054:23.

 

  1. Pellegrini G, Fernández-Martínez P, Baselga M, Fleta C, Flores D, Greco V, Hidalgo S, Mandić I, Kramberger G, Quirion D, Ullan M. Technology development and first measurement of low gain avalanche detector (LGAD) for high energy physics applications. Journal of Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A. 2014.

 

  1. Maiti C.K. Introducing Technology Computer-Aided Design (TCAD): Fundamentals, Simulations, and Applications. CRC Press. 2017.

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