Response of Timepix detector with GaAs:Cr and Si sensor to heavy ions

TL;DR

This study compares the response of Timepix detectors with GaAs:Cr and Si sensors to heavy neon ions, revealing the absence of the volcano effect in GaAs:Cr sensors and proposing reasons for this difference.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the behavior of GaAs:Cr sensors under heavy ion irradiation and explains the absence of the volcano effect compared to silicon sensors.

Findings

GaAs:Cr sensors do not exhibit the volcano effect under heavy ion irradiation.

The behavior of GaAs:Cr sensors differs significantly from silicon sensors in response to heavy ions.

A possible explanation for the absence of the volcano effect in GaAs:Cr sensors is proposed.

Abstract

The response of the Timepix detector to neon ions with kinetic energy 77 and 158.4 MeV has been studied at the cyclotron U-400M of the JINR Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reaction. Sensors produced from gallium arsenide compensated by chromium and from silicon are used for these measurements. While in Timepix detector with Si sensor the well-known so-called "volcano effect" observed, in Timepix detector with GaAs:Cr sensor such effect was completely absent. In the work the behavior of the Timepix detector with GaAs:Cr sensor under irradiation with heavy ions is described in comparison with the detector based on Si sensor. Also the possible reason for absence of "volcano" effect in GaAs:Cr detector is proposed.