A simple pulsed drain feedback preamplifier for high resolution high rate nuclear spectroscopy

A non-optical, pulsed reset technique for use in charge sensitive preamplifiers with Si(Li) X-ray semiconductor detectors of conventional polarity is described. The phenomenon of impact ionization in the field effect transistor is used for charge restoration. The process is controlled via the detector capacitance. The method needs no extra components in the input circuitry. No significant resolution degradation can be detected up to 600 kcps Mn K intensity if following the 5 μs resetting pulse the signal processor is inhibited for 50 μs.