Integrated high voltage photo-voltaic device for radiation detector systems

Many detectors used in particle physics and photon science require a high bias voltage to function properly. The needed electrical potentials range from tens of volts to hundreds of kilovolts. In most instances the applied voltage must be gradually raised or tuned depending to the conditions, which necessitates the ability to precisely vary the bias. Traditional electrical supplies are often expensive, bulky, difficult to design, subject to grounding issues, and prone to failure. High bias voltages introduce safety concerns that can be mitigated by confining the high voltages to where they are required. To address these and other issues a novel process has been developed for micro-machined, integrated photovoltaic devices that are scalable up to 10 kV per chip or higher. The process is based on a silicon-on-insulated substrate and uses plasma-etched trenches to isolate each diode from its neighbors. Prototype devices have been successfully manufactured and tested.