A Novel Spiral Si Drift Detector with a Constant Cathode Gap and Arbitrary Cathode Pitch Profiles

In this paper, an innovative design of a silicon spiral drift detector (SDD) has been proposed. In this design, gaps under the SiO2 layer between the cathode rings are kept constant, with a minimum value to reduce the surface leakage current. The cathode pitch profile Pr as a function of radius r is allowed to change in an arbitrary way to achieve the optimum field distribution. The concept, design considerations, modeling and electrical simulations have been carried out for this novel structure with a hexagonal spiral silicon drift detector. Using one-dimensional analyses, we obtain the exact solution of the spiral design r=rθ with a near-arbitrary pitch profile Pr=P1rr11η, with η as an arbitrary real number. We also obtained the electric potential and field profiles on both surfaces of the detector. Using a Technology Computer-Aided Design (TCAD) tool, we made 3D simulations of the detector’s electrical properties. The hexagonal spiral silicon drift detector has excellent electrical properties: a uniform electric field, smooth distribution of electric potential and electron concentration, and a clear electron drift channel. The distributions of the electric field, electric potential, and electron concentration are symmetrical and smooth, which is beneficial for applications in photon sciences (X-ray) and safeguards and homeland security (particle radiation). The theoretical work and simulation results serve as solid foundations for the detector design and the expansion of semiconductor technology.