Response of Solid-State Detectors to Fission Fragments

Pulse amplitude spectra for fission fragments from the spontaneous fission of Cf252 have been studied for more than 50 silicon surface-barrier detectors. Silicon resistivities ranged from 100 to 2000 Ohm-cm; spectra were obtained for several bias voltages for each detector. A search for correlations among shape parameters associated with Cf252 fragment pulse-amplitude spectra was carried out. Such correlations were, in fact, observed and are shown to be related to the pulse-height response characteristics of surface-barrier detectors for fission fragments. Some guide lines by which the quality of a fission-fragment detector may be determined from the spectrum parameters are given.