Direct Electron Detector

Abstract

An electron detector ( 30 ) for detection of electrons comprises a semiconductor wafer ( 11 ) having a central portion ( 12 ) with a thickness of at most 150 μm, preferably at most 100 μm, formed by etching an area of a thicker wafer. On opposite sides of the central portion ( 12 ) there are n-type and p-type contacts ( 16, 31 ). In operation, a reverse bias is applied across the contacts ( 16, 31 ) and electrons incident on the layer ( 15 ) of intrinsic semiconductor material between the contacts ( 16, 31 ) generate electron-hole pairs which accelerate towards the contacts ( 16, 31 ) where they may detected as a signal. Conductive terminals ( 24, 32 ) contact the contacts ( 16, 31 ) and are connected to a signal processing circuit in IC chips ( 28, 37 ) mounted to the semiconductor wafer ( 11 ) outside the active area of the detector ( 30 ). The contacts ( 16, 31 ) are shaped as arrays of strips extending orthogonally on the two sides of the intrinsic layer ( 15 ) to provide two-dimensional spatial resolution. In an alternative detector ( 10 ), there is a single contact ( 19 ) on one side to provide one-dimensional spatial resolution.

1 - 22 . (canceled)  
   
   
       23 . An electron detector for detection of electrons, comprising a semiconductor wafer having an active area with an array of contacts on a first side of the active area being one of n-type or p-type and at least one contact on a second, opposite side of the active area being the other of n-type or p-type, wherein the thickness of the active area of the semiconductor wafer is at most 150 μm.  
   
   
       24 . The electron detector according to  claim 23 , wherein the active area of the semiconductor wafer is formed in a portion of the semiconductor wafer which is thinner than the remainder of the semiconductor wafer.  
   
   
       25 . The electron detector according to  claim 24 , wherein said portion of the semiconductor wafer is etched.  
   
   
       26 . The electron detector according to  claim 23 , wherein said at least one contact on the second side of the active area comprises a single contact extending over the active area of the semiconductor wafer.  
   
   
       27 . The electron detector according to  claim 26 , wherein the contacts in the array of contacts are shaped as strips.  
   
   
       28 . The electron detector according to  claim 23 , further comprising conductive terminals contacting respective contacts of the array of contacts.  
   
   
       29 . The electron detector according to  claim 23 , wherein said at least one contact on the second side of the active area comprises an array of contacts, the arrays of contacts on the first and second sides of the active area having a different arrangement from each other.  
   
   
       30 . The electron detector according to  claim 29 , wherein the contacts are shaped as strips extending in different directions on the first and second sides of the active area of the semiconductor wafer.  
   
   
       31 . The electron detector according to  claim 30 , wherein the contacts are shaped as strips extending in orthogonal directions on the first and second sides of the active area of the semiconductor wafer.  
   
   
       32 . The electron detector according to  claim 29 , further comprising conductive terminals contacting respective contacts of both arrays of contacts.  
   
   
       33 . The electron detector according to  claim 32 , wherein the semiconductor wafer has vias and the conductive terminals contacting the array of contacts on the second side of active area of the semiconductor wafer extend through the vias to allow connection to be made to all the conductive terminals on the first side of the semiconductor wafer.  
   
   
       34 . The electron detector according to  claim 28 , further comprising a signal processing circuit connected to the conductive terminals and arranged to process signals from the contacts contacted by the conductive terminals to provide detection of electrons incident on the active area of the semiconductor wafer.  
   
   
       35 . The electron detector according to  claim 32 , further comprising a signal processing circuit connected to the conductive terminals and arranged to process signals from the contacts contacted by the conductive terminals to provide detection of electrons incident on the active area of the semiconductor wafer.  
   
   
       36 . The electron detector according to  claim 34 , wherein at least part of the signal processing circuit is formed in at least one integrated circuit chip mounted on the semiconductor wafer outside the active area of the semiconductor wafer.  
   
   
       37 . The electron detector according to  claim 34 , wherein the signal processing circuit includes amplifiers for amplifying signals from the contacts contacted by the conductive terminals.  
   
   
       38 . The electron detector according to  claim 34 , wherein the signal processing circuit includes a split event discrimination circuit arranged to discriminate between a signal from a single contact and signals from two adjacent contacts.  
   
   
       39 . The electron detector according to  claim 35 , wherein the signal processing circuit includes a coincidence detector arranged to detect coincident signals from overlapping contacts on opposite sides of the of the active area of the semiconductor wafer.  
   
   
       40 . The electron detector according to  claim 34 , wherein the signal processing circuit includes a memory arranged to store a count of detected electrons at different locations across the electron detector.  
   
   
       41 . The electron detector  claim 23 , wherein the active area of the semiconductor wafer has a thickness of at most 100 μm.  
   
   
       42 . The electron detector according to  claim 23 , wherein the semiconductor wafer includes, in at least the active area, a layer of intrinsic material between the array of contacts on the first side of the active area and the at least one contact on the second side of the active area.  
   
   
       43 . The electron detector according to  claim 23 , wherein the contacts are deposited on the surface of the semiconductor wafer.  
   
   
       44 . The electron detector according to  claim 23 , wherein the semiconductor wafer is made of silicon.  
   
   
       45 . A method of operating of an electron detector, comprising providing a semiconductor wafer having an active array of contacts on a first side of the active area being one of n-type or p-type and at least one contact on a second, opposite side of the active area being the other of n-type or p-type, wherein the thickness of the active area of the semiconductor wafer is at most 150 μm; and applying a reverse bias across at least one contact on each side of the semiconductor wafer.