Micro-discharge noise and radiation damage of silicon microstrip sensors

We have examined experimentally some existing ideas for improving the radiation hardness of silicon microstrip sensors. We confirm that the extended electrode and the deep implant-strip proposed on the basis of simulation studies works effectively to suppress micro-discharge as well as junction breakdown of the bias or guard ring. For an integrated coupling capacitor a double layer structure of SiO2 and Si3N4 provides better radiation hardness than that of single SiO2 coupling in our design conditions. The onset voltage of the micro-discharge on the bias/guard ring has been studied for an extended electrode and a floating guard ring.