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

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.

Keywords

• x-ray
• radiography
• detector
• low gain avalanche sensor