Profile SP (P-type) HPGe detectors — premium resolution at low to medium energies

The resolution performance of a High Purity Germanium (HPGe) gamma-ray detector is a function of three factors: crystal quality and geometry, electronic noise, and any microphonic contribution. Improving detector resolution solves peak overlapping problems in complicated multi-peak spectra and improves the performance of peak identification algorithms yielding fewer false positive results in spectrometry analysis. A new Low Noise Back Contact (LNBC) has been developed by ORTEC
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for p-type semi-planar HPGe detectors. This LNBC minimizes electronic noise, while the semi-planar p-type crystal geometry offers premium efficiency and charge collection performance for the 3 keV to 1 MeV energy region, where the majority of nuclides reside. Additionally, semi-planar crystal geometry lowers the Compton region created by higher energy gammas, allowing lower Minimum Detectable Activity (MDA) levels. The “Profile SP” with unmatched premium resolution results will be discussed for various energies and shaping times.