Radiation damage studies with STAR silicon drift detectors

Large (6.3/spl times/6.3 cm/sup 2/) linear silicon drift detectors were developed for use in the SVT, the inner tracking detector of the STAR experiment at the RHIC Collider. The concern of this paper is to estimate the effects of neutron and proton radiation damage to these devices and associated electronics. Detectors and their associated electronics were irradiated with 10/sup 11/-10/sup 12//cm/sup 2/, 1 MeV equivalent neutrons and 10/sup 10/-10/sup 12//cm/sup 2/, 24 GeV protons. I-V and C-V characteristics of diode test structures were used to determine depletion voltages, lifetimes, and reverse bias values. Measurements of the voltage and drift linearity with laser injection show the effects of irradiation on the detector performance. Measurements of noise levels show the effects of irradiation on the front-end electronics.