A Low-Noise X-ray Astronomical Silicon-On-Insulator Pixel Detector Using a Pinned Depleted Diode Structure

• Kamehama, Hiroki

  Information and Communication Systems Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Okinawa College

• Kawahito, Shoji

  Research Institute of Electronics, Shizuoka University

• Shrestha, Sumeet

  Research Institute of Electronics, Shizuoka University

• Nakanishi, Syunta

  Research Institute of Electronics, Shizuoka University

• Yasutomi, Keita

  Research Institute of Electronics, Shizuoka University

• Takeda, Ayaki

  Department of Applied Physics and Electronic Engineering, University of Miyazaki

• Tsuru, Takeshi

  Department of Physics, Kyoto University

• Arai, Yasuo

  High Energy Accelerator Research Organization

Abstract

This paper presents a novel full-depletion Si X-ray detector based on silicon-on-insulator pixel (SOIPIX) technology using a pinned depleted diode structure, named the SOIPIX-PDD. The SOIPIX-PDD greatly reduces stray capacitance at the charge sensing node, the dark current of the detector, and capacitive coupling between the sensing node and SOI circuits. These features of the SOIPIX-PDD lead to low read noise, resulting high X-ray energy resolution and stable operation of the pixel. The back-gate surface pinning structure using neutralized p-well at the back-gate surface and depleted n-well underneath the p-well for all the pixel area other than the charge sensing node is also essential for preventing hole injection from the p-well by making the potential barrier to hole, reducing dark current from the Si-SiO₂ interface and creating lateral drift field to gather signal electrons in the pixel area into the small charge sensing node. A prototype chip using 0.2 μm SOI technology shows very low readout noise of 11.0 e⁻rms, low dark current density of 56 pA/cm² at −35 °C and the energy resolution of 200 eV(FWHM) at 5.9 keV and 280 eV (FWHM) at 13.95 keV.

Journal

• Sensors

  Sensors 18 (1), 27-, 2017-12-23

  MDPI AG

Keywords

• SOI X-ray detector
• high energy resolution
• low noise
• back-side surface potential pinning structure

Details

• CRID: 1050282813184317440
• NII Article ID: 120006501335
• ISSN: 14248220
• DOI: 10.3390/s18010027
• HANDLE: 2433/233946
• Web Site: http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/18/1/27/pdf
• Text Lang: en
• Article Type: journal article
• Data Source:
  • IRDB
  • Crossref
  • CiNii Articles
  • KAKEN