Detection of Low Energy Heavy Particles with Silicon Barrier Detectors

The performance characteristics of silicon surface barrier detectors have been investigated for detecting H+, He+, N+, Ne+ and Ar+ in the energy interval 6-100 keV. For a cryogenically cooled, 50 mm2, 1325 μ depletion depth detector the resolution for protons was 1.65 keV (FWHM). The resolution decreased as the particle mass increased being 6.5 keV for 40 keV Ar+. All particles exhibit pulse height linearity throughout the energy range.