NEUTRON RADIATION DAMAGE ON A PLANAR SEGMENTED GERMANIUM DETECTOR

The resistance of a prototype planar electrically segmented p-type high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector to neutron damage and subsequent annealing procedures was investigated. The detector possesses 4 segment contacts made of laser-diffused Sb. To test its neutron resistance, the detector was subjected to a fast-neutron flux generated by the 7Li(p, n)7Be reaction. The detector underwent irradiation, annealing, and repeated irradiation to simulate prolonged operational conditions. Our study reveals the gradual deterioration in resolution and efficiency as neutron fluence increases. The detector’s recovery after annealing was successfully demonstrated. The results highlight the importance of understanding neutron damage effects on p-type HPGe detectors. Further experiments and investigations are necessary to fully characterize this type of detector and understand all effects.