Institutional development · Research, innovation and assessment · Germany
Fraunhofer IZM and Münster build silicon diode that sorts particles by impact angle
Fraunhofer IZM and the University of Münster have devised a wafer-level production method for a new silicon diode that tells particles apart by the direction from which they arrive.
Why it matters: Teams working on the international KATRIN neutrino-mass experiment are named as possible users of the new energy-filter diode.
Fraunhofer IZM and the University of Münster say they have created a wafer-level production method for a new type of silicon diode able to tell particles apart by the direction from which they strike it.
According to the partners, this energy-filter diode is designed to separate wanted signal electrons from background electrons, which hit a detector with almost the same energy but from different angles.
One possible use named by the partners is KATRIN, an international experiment that seeks to measure the mass of the neutrino.
In a cleanroom at Fraunhofer IZM, deep microstructures in a honeycomb pattern were formed in large detector wafers and given electrical passivation before being sent to Münster for further testing.
Editor’s view
Scott James, Research and Innovation Editor
The processed wafers are now with the University of Münster for further examination; if the diode works as designed, it is intended to help experiments such as KATRIN tell signal electrons apart from background ones.
