Large-area Si(Li) detectors for X-ray spectrometry and particle tracking in the GAPS experiment

Rogers, F.; Xiao, M.; Perez, K.; Boggs, Steven E.; Erjavec, T.; Fabris, L.; Fuke, H.; Hailey, Charles J.; Kozai, M.; Lowell, A.; Madden, N.; Manghisoni, M.; McBride, Steve; Re, V.; Riceputi, E.; Saffold, N.; Shimizu, Yuki

doi:10.1088/1748-0221/14/10/p10009

Cited by 29 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Thanks to the sufficiently low leakage currents, it has been confirmed that energy resolution 4 keV (FWHM) for 20−100 keV X-rays are achieved [46]. Details of the energy resolution measurements are described in a separate publication [15]. Figure 9 illustrates the setup for the I−V curve measurement.…”

Section: Performance Of the Mass-produced Detectorsmentioning

confidence: 88%

“…The upper panel of Fig. 10 displays I−V curves of 8 strips of a sample detector at −35 • C. The leakage current of each strip is stable and is ∼1.5 nA at our operating voltage (200−300 V), significantly lower than the requirement, ∼5 nA [15]. The capacitance as a function of the bias voltage in the lower panel of Fig.…”

Section: Performance Of the Mass-produced Detectorsmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…Both 4-and 8-strip designs have been developed and proved to meet the GAPS requirement. However, the 8-strip design has been adopted for the GAPS flight instrument, as it improves tracking performance and allows use of a custom ASIC readout, while still achieving the required energy resolution [15]. This low-power ASIC reduces inactive material in the tracker and permits for lower temperature operation, and thus improved noise performance, compared to a discrete-component preamplifier readout.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The leakage current and capacitance of each Si(Li) strip should be lower than 5 nA and ∼40 pF, respectively, to achieve the required energy resolution 4 keV (FWHM) for 20−100 keV characteristic X-rays [15]. To suppress the power consumption, GAPS adopts a newly-developed cooling system for the Si(Li) detectors [16,17].…”

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confidence: 99%

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Developing a mass-production model of large-area Si(Li) detectors with high operating temperatures

Kozai

Fuke

Yamada

et al. 2019

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A:

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This study presents a fabrication process for lithium-drifted silicon (Si(Li)) detectors that, compared to previous methods, allows for mass production at a higher yield, while providing a large sensitive area and low leakage currents at relatively high temperatures. This design, developed for the unique requirements of the General Antiparticle Spectrometer (GAPS) experiment, has an overall diameter of 10 cm, with ∼9 cm of active area segmented into 8 readout strips, and an overall thickness of 2.5 mm, with 2.2 mm ( 90%) sensitive thickness. An energy resolution 4 keV full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) for 20−100 keV X-rays is required at the operating temperature ∼ − 40 • C, which is far above the liquid nitrogen temperatures conventionally used to achieve fine energy resolution. High-yield production is also required for GAPS, which consists of 1000 detectors. Our specially-developed Si crystal and custom methods of Li evaporation, diffusion and drifting allow for a thick, large-area and uniform sensitive layer. We find that retaining a thin undrifted layer on the p-side of the detector drastically reduces the leakage current, which is a dominant component of the energy resolution at these temperatures. A guard-ring structure and optimal etching of the detec- tor surface are also confirmed to suppress the leakage current. We report on the mass production of these detectors that is ongoing now, and demonstrate it is capable of delivering a high yield of ∼90%.We present here a high-yield mass production process for lithium-drifted silicon (Si(Li)) detectors that meet the unique requirements of the General Antiparticle Spectrometer (GAPS) experiment. GAPS is a balloon-borne experiment that aims to survey low-energy (<0.25 GeV/n) cosmic-ray antinuclei for the first time, by adopting a novel detection concept based on the physics of exotic atoms [1][2][3][4]. Low-energy cosmic-ray antinuclei, especially antideuterons, are predicted to be distinctive probes for the dark matter annihilation or decay occurring in the Galactic halo [1,[5][6][7][8][9]. Precise measurement of the low-energy antiproton spectra will also provide crucial information on the source and propagation mechanisms of cosmic rays [10][11][12][13]. GAPS sensitivities to antideuterons and antiprotons are discussed in [14] and [13], and capabilities for antihelium detection are being evaluated. The first flight of GAPS via a NASA Antarctic long duration balloon is planned for late 2021.GAPS is comprised of a 1.6 m W × 1.6 m D × 1.0 m H tracker made of Si(Li) detectors surrounded by a time-of-flight (TOF) system made of plastic scintillator paddles. A low-energy antinucleus triggered by the TOF is slowed and captured by the Si(Li) detector array, forming an excited exotic atom with a silicon nucleus. It immediately decays, radiating de-excitation X-rays of characteristic energies. The antinucleus then annihilates with the silicon nucleus, producing pions and protons with a multiplicity that scales with the incident antinucleus mass. The surrounding Si(Li)...

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Section: Performance Of the Mass-produced Detectorsmentioning

confidence: 88%

Section: Performance Of the Mass-produced Detectorsmentioning

confidence: 94%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Developing a mass-production model of large-area Si(Li) detectors with high operating temperatures

Kozai

Fuke

Yamada

et al. 2019

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A:

Self Cite

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show abstract

“…GAPS presents unique challenges for Si(Li) detector construction, operation and performance. The large detector area, low noise, and high temperature requirements have been met by developing a new fabrication technique, as described in detail in [13] and [14]. These detectors have been designed with a top-hat structure containing eight equal-area strips surrounded by a guard ring ( fig.…”

Section: Si(li) Detectorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

GAPS: Searching for Dark Matter using Antinuclei in Cosmic Rays

Bird¹

2019

Proceedings of 36th International Cosmic Ray Conference — PoS(ICRC2019)

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The 32 Analog Channels Readout for the Long-Flight GAPS Balloon Experiment Tracking System

Riceputi

Boezio

Fabris

et al. 2023

Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering

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Large-area Si(Li) detectors for X-ray spectrometry and particle tracking in the GAPS experiment

Cited by 29 publications

References 31 publications

Developing a mass-production model of large-area Si(Li) detectors with high operating temperatures

Developing a mass-production model of large-area Si(Li) detectors with high operating temperatures

GAPS: Searching for Dark Matter using Antinuclei in Cosmic Rays

The 32 Analog Channels Readout for the Long-Flight GAPS Balloon Experiment Tracking System

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