Results from a 64-pixel PIN-diode detector system for low-energy beta-electrons

The detector performance test runs include energy resolution and calibration, background rates, correlation between pixels (crosstalk), spatially resolved rate analysis, and a dead-layer measurement [7]. The detector allows for background searches with a sensitivity as low as 1.3×10−3 cps/cm2 in the energy range of 20 keV. This allows the pre-spectrometer to be characterized with e-gun illumination with a signal to background ratio of better than 105 and the search for ultra low Penning discharge emissions.