Development of HPGe Detectors for Ultra High Rate Spectroscopy and Imaging

ORAL

Abstract

While High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detectors are the gold standard for high-resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy, conventional, coaxial HPGe detectors show significant performance degradation at high rates (tens of thousands of counts per second (cps)).

Based on previous work, a new HPGe detector prototype has been designed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). It is intended to maintain resolution and throughput performance at ultra-high rates (5 Mcps) and feature 3D position sensitivity. Such a device has many potential uses in basic and applied nuclear science including efficient prompt spectroscopy of superheavy elements and isotope harvesting.

The detector geometry, a double-sided strip detector with fine strip pitch, was selected by performing analytic and numerical calculations to evaluate the expected efficiency, throughput, timing, energy and position resolution for various geometries and electrode configurations. The design of this prototype and initial results from fabrication efforts will be presented.

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Presenters

  • Joanna M Szornel

    Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Authors

  • Joanna M Szornel

    Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  • Paul Barton

    Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  • Reynold J Cooper

    Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  • Heather Crawford

    Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley Natl Lab, Lawrence Berkeley Natl Lab, Argonne Natl Lab, Los Alamos Natl Lab, University of Connecticut, iThemba LABS, University of Maryland, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  • Alexey Drobizhev

    Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Physics, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States, Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States, Lawrence Berkeley Natl Lab

  • Mustapha Saad

    Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  • Marco Salathe

    Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley Natl Lab

  • Kai Vetter

    Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory