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High-Purity Germanium (HPGe) Detector Manufacturing
For 40 years ORTEC has been responsible for most major innovation in silicon
charged-particle and germanium gamma-ray detectors (see Timetable below). ORTEC was the first
company to develop its own germanium crystal growth technology. The ensuing availability
of the world’s best detector-grade germanium has made ORTEC the world’s primary
supplier of high-purity germanium detectors.
Timetable of ORTEC Innovations in Semiconductor Radiation
Detectors
| Silicon Surface Barrier detectors
|
1961 |
| Ge(Li) Lithium-Drifted detectors
|
1965 |
| Si(Li) Lithium-Drifted detectors (X-ray)
|
1968 |
| Ge(Li) LEPS Low-Energy Planar detectors
|
1973 |
| In-House Ge(Li) material
|
1973 |
| HPGe LEPS with First Ion-Implanted Contact
|
1975 |
| High-Purity Coaxial Germanium detectors
|
1976 |
| In-House High-Purity Germanium material
|
1977 |
| N-Type Germanium detectors (GAMMA-X)
|
1978 |
| Germanium Well detectors
|
1979 |
| Streamline cryostat
|
1979 |
| Portable
Germanium detector (Gamma Gage)
|
1979 |
| Low-Energy Coaxial (LO-AX)
Germanium detector
|
1979 |
| DUET BGO-HPGe and "Golf Club" detectors
|
1983 |
| Electrically Cooled
Germanium detector
|
1985 |
| 70% Efficiency P-type
Germanium detector
|
1986 |
| 70% Efficiency N-type
Germanium detector
|
1987 |
| PopTop Transplantable detector
|
1987 |
| 80% Efficiency P-type
Germanium detector
|
1987 |
| 100% Efficiency P-type
Germanium detector
|
1988 |
| 150% Efficiency P-type
Germanium detector
|
1992 |
| 175% Efficiency P-type
Germanium detector
|
1994 |
| IGLET-X Soft X-Ray
Germanium detector
|
1994 |
| "Safeguards Tuned"
Germanium detector
|
1998 |
| X-COOLER
low-cost electrically cooled detector
|
2000 |
| 200% Efficiency P-type
Germanium detector
|
2000 |
| SMART-1 Authenticated
Germanium detector
|
2001 |
| PROFILE Series GEM
Germanium detector
|
2001 |
|
trans-SPEC Battery Powered Portable
Germanium
Gamma Spectrometer |
2004 |
|
Interchangeable Detector Module (IDM) |
2007 |
The production of ORTEC
Germanium photon detectors involves complex manufacturing processes.
The description of these processes in this section emphasizes the tangible benefits to
both customer and manufacturer of having crystal and detector manufacturing plus quality
control "under one roof." The Past and the Future
When ORTEC started production of germanium detectors in the late 60’s, a detector
of 5% relative efficiency (compared to a 3" x 3" NaI detector) with 3-keV energy
resolution at 1.33 MeV was considered typical. In 1975 the "VIP 10" offered 10%
efficiency at 2 keV. In 1980 the Ge(Li) technology in use was obsoleted by high purity
germanium detectors which could be cycled to room temperature. Recently detectors with
170% efficiency and <2 keV resolution have been produced.
ORTEC pioneered these technologies and others, such as GAMMA-X coaxial detectors,
streamline cryostats, and PopTop transplantable detector capsules.
Development work toward larger crystals, application-matched performance parameters,
ultra-low background cryostats, and exceptional reliability continues. We welcome
suggestions for new, more application-tuned detectors.
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