Brown, D. C.; Faraday, B. P.
Description:
This paper describes the investigation of a number of
possible semiconductor devices which can be used for the
detection of radioactive particles. The sensitivities of two
types of transistor (a p-n-p alloy junction and an n-p-n
grown junction) and a p-n alloy junction diode operated up
to its "avalanche" condition were determined. The possible
uses of such detectors are discussed and they are shown to be •
particularly suitable where high rates of counting, with
good efficiency and small detecting area (or low geometry)
are required.
A completely transistorized radiation monitor has been
developed using a p-n-p transistor as the detector head.
This is specifically designed for a-particle detection but the
detector head with slight modification should be suitable
for proton or neutron detection.