The p-type point-contact germanium detectors have been adopted for light dark matter WIMP searches and the studies of low energy neutrino physics. These detectors exhibit anomalous behavior to events located at the surface layer. The previous spectral shape method to identify these surface events from the bulk signals relies on spectral shape assumptions and the use of external calibration sources. We report an improved method in separating them by taking the ratios among different categories of in situ event samples as calibration sources. Data from CDEX-1 and TEXONO experiments are re-examined using the ratio method. Results are shown to be consistent with the spectral shape method.
P-type point contact (PPC) germanium detectors are used in rare event and low-background searches, including neutrinoless double beta (0vbb) decay, low-energy nuclear recoils, and coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering. The detectors feature an excellent energy resolution, low detection thresholds down to the sub-keV range, and enhanced background rejection capabilities. However, due to their large passivated surface, separating the signal readout contact from the bias voltage electrode, PPC detectors are susceptible to surface effects such as charge build-up. A profound understanding of their response to surface events is essential. In this work, the response of a PPC detector to alpha and beta particles hitting the passivated surface was investigated in a multi-purpose scanning test stand. It is shown that the passivated surface can accumulate charges resulting in a radial-dependent degradation of the observed event energy. In addition, it is demonstrated that the pulse shapes of surface alpha events show characteristic features which can be used to discriminate against these events.
The p-type point-contact germanium detectors are novel techniques offering kg-scale radiation sensors with sub-keV sensitivities. They have been used for light Dark Matter WIMPs searches and may have potential applications in neutrino physics. There are, however, anomalous surface behaviour which needs to be characterized and understood. We describe the methods and results of a research program whose goals are to identify the bulk and surface events via software pulse shape analysis techniques, and to devise calibration schemes to evaluate the selection efficiency factors. Efficiencies-corrected background spectra from the low-background facility at Kuo-Sheng Neutrino Laboratory are derived.
The detection of low-energy deposition in the range of sub-eV through ionization using germanium (Ge) with a bandgap of $sim$0.7 eV requires internal amplification of charge signal. This can be achieved through high electric field which accelerates charge carriers to generate more charge carriers. The minimum electric field required to generate internal charge amplification is derived for different temperatures. A point contact Ge detector provides extremely high electric field in proximity to the point contact. We show the development of a planar point contact detector and its performance. The field distribution is calculated for this planar point contact detector. We demonstrate the required electric field can be achieved with a point contact detector.
A study of signals originating near the lithium-diffused n+ contact of p-type point contact (PPC) high purity germanium detectors (HPGe) is presented. The transition region between the active germanium and the fully dead layer of the n+ contact is examined. Energy depositions in this transition region are shown to result in partial charge collection. This provides a mechanism for events with a well defined energy to contribute to the continuum of the energy spectrum at lower energies. A novel technique to quantify the contribution from this source of background is introduced. Experiments that operate germanium detectors with a very low energy threshold may benefit from the methods presented herein.
Electrical conduction mechanisms in the disordered material system is experimentally studied for p-type amorphous germanium (a-Ge) used for high-purity Ge detector contacts. The localization length and the hopping parameters in a-Ge are determined using the surface leakage current measured from three high-purity planar Ge detectors. The temperature-dependent hopping distance and hopping energy are obtained for a-Ge fabricated as the electrical contact materials for high-purity Ge planar detectors. As a result, we find that the hopping energy in a-Ge increases as temperature increases while the hopping distance in a-Ge decreases as temperature increases. The localization length of a-Ge is on the order of $2.13^{-0.05}_{+0.07} A^circ$ to $5.07^{-0.83}_{+2.58}A^circ$, depending on the density of states near the Fermi energy level within bandgap. Using these parameters, we predict that the surface leakage current from a Ge detector with a-Ge contacts can be much smaller than one yocto amp (yA) at helium temperature, suitable for rare-event physics searches.