Survivability Studies of Lithium Drifted Silicon Detectors under Severe Environmental Conditions

Several lithium drifted silicon, surface barrier detectors were subjected to a variety of environmental conditions. The conditions were primarily those of long term storage under ambient temperature conditions and of long time operation under both ambient and high (+60°C) temperature operation. Use was made of the temperature dependence of the diffusion coefficient of lithium in silicon so that elevated temperatures could be used to decrease the time scale of the tests. Some detectors were also subjected to a series of vibration and shock tests. The entire set of tests was performed in an effort to see if the detectors could withstand the rigors of the Apollo mission. The results of all the tests are given in the paper.