Estimation of absorbing layer thicknesses for an Si(Li) detector

✍ Scribed by M. Procop

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1999
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 182 KB
• Volume: 28
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0049-8246
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-4539(199901/02)28:1<33::aid-xrs306>3.0.co;2-q

✦ Synopsis

The absorption edges in the background of an electron excited x-ray spectrum recorded by an Si(Li) detector with a polymer window are used to determine the thicknesses of front contact and dead layers, and also those of absorbing hydrocarbon and ice layers. A careful sample preparation is necessary in the latter case to avoid erroneous results caused by surface impurities. The preparation methods and the numerical procedures for the thickness calculation are described. The signal-to-noise ratio of a commercial Si(Li) detector allows the determination of layer thicknesses (area weights) with a statistical error of AE10% . After conditioning to remove an ice layer, the detector was checked over a period of 2.5 years. It was found that its efficiency was stable also in the low-energy range.