Non-linear behaviour of large-area avalanche photodiodes

• Author(s): Fernandes, L. M. P. ; Lopes, J. A. M. ; Monteiro, C. M. B. ; Santos, J. M. F. dos ; Morgado, R. E.
• Date: 2002
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10316/4501
• Origin: Estudo Geral - Universidade de Coimbra
• Subject(s): Scintillation detectors; X-ray detectors; Avalanche photodiodes
• Document Type: Article
• Language: English

Description

The characterisation of photodiodes used as photosensors requires a determination of the number of electron-hole pairs produced by scintillation light. One method involves comparing signals produced by X-ray absorptions occurring directly in the avalanche photodiode with the light signals. When the light is derived from light-emitting diodes in the 400-600 nm range, significant non-linear behaviour is reported. In the present work, we extend the study of the linear behaviour to large-area avalanche photodiodes, of Advanced Photonix, used as photosensors of the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) scintillation light produced by argon (128 nm) and xenon (173 nm). We observed greater non-linearities in the avalanche photodiodes for the VUV scintillation light than reported previously for visible light, but considerably less than the non-linearities observed in other commercially available avalanche photodiodes. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6TJM-45HFC9M-2K/1/447b7168bf09233e9122112c90b89b17