High resolution, low energy electron detector

Electron detection at low energy range for scanning electron microscope (SEM), electron capture detector and electron probe micro-analysis (EPMA) applications, require detectors with high sensitivity and accuracy for low energy range. Such detectors must therefore have a thin entrance window and low recombination at the Si-SiO₂ interface. An electron detector with 100% photons to electron-hole pair production rate having a 10 nm SiO₂ passivating layer reveals a responsivity of approximately 0.25 A/W when irradiated. Simulations results showing the responsivity of electron interaction between detectors of varied interface fixed oxide charge density Q_f show that there is an appreciable difference with the responsivity of a p⁺n detector and that of an n⁺p. The simulation results also show the significance of the effect of the minority carriers transport velocity S_n,p on the responsivity of the detector.