Evaluation of GaAs photodetectors for detection of soft X-ray pulses from laser-induced plasmas

GaAs-based photodetectors (lateral photoconductors and PIN photodiodes) are investigated with the aim to find good items to register nanosecond soft X-ray pulses generated from laser-induced plasmas. Pulse height spectra using light pulses that imitate X-ray pulses are measured and interpreted. Excitation with α particles were used to evaluate the loss of particle-induced charges in our detectors.