HPGe Radiation Detector Types and How to Choose

Categories of High Purity Germanium (HPGe) Radiation Detectors

ORTEC offers a wide range of HPGe radiation detector solutions which cover low energies for X-rays up to gamma rays in the 10 MeV and above range. These detectors are manufactured using high purity germanium (HPGe) of both P- and N-type. All detectors in these two classes are cryogenically cooled, using either liquid nitrogen or electro-mechanical coolers.

How to Choose the Right HPGe Radiation Detector for Your Application

Choosing the correct detector for your specific application involves many criteria. No single table or graph can uniquely specify a detector for a particular measurement. The energy range chart above, and the key attribute table below should provide an excellent start in making the right choice.

 

Detector Series	Typical Counting Geometry	Relative Efficiency Range (%)	FWHM Resolution (in keV) @ Specified Energy
			5.9 keV	122 keV	1332 keV
GEM P-type coaxial	Point source Large surface area source Marinelli beaker	10-150	n/a	0.80-1.30	1.8-2.3
Profile C P-type coaxial	Point source Large surface area source Marinelli beaker	20-175	0.60-1.10	0.8-1.30	1.8-2.3
Profile M P-type coaxial	Point source Large surface area source	20-175	n/a	0.88-1.30	1.8-2.3
Profile S P-type semi-planar	Point source Large surface area source	7-65	0.40-0.50	0.65-0.70	1.8-1.9
Profile SP P-type semi-planar	Point source Large surface area source	7-65	0.30-0.43	0.59-0.63	1.8-1.9
GMX N-type coaxial	Point source Large surface area source Marinelli beaker Neutron background	10-100	0.60-1.20	0.85-1.40	1.8-2.5
GLP P-type planar	Point source Small surface area source Timing	n/a	0.19-0.38	0.51-0.63	n/a
GWL P-type reverse coaxial (well)	Small volume source inside of the well	90-450 cc active volume (15%-100% rel. eff.)	n/a	1.2-1.4	2.1-2.3