Wireless gamma and/or hard x-ray radiation detector

A wireless gamma and/or hard X-ray radiation detector, comprising:

• a bulk semiconductor crystal comprising indium antimonide (InSb), cadmium telluride (CdTe), or cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe);
• electrical contacts coupled to two facets of the bulk semiconductor crystal;
• a bias circuit electrically coupled to the bulk semiconductor crystal through the electrical contacts;
• and
• a terahertz (THz) electromagnetic (EM) wave receiver positioned to detect THz radiation emitted by the bulk semiconductor crystal;
• wherein application of a bias voltage by the bias circuit to the bulk semiconductor crystal through the electrical contacts generates an electric field within the bulk semiconductor crystal, the wireless gamma and/or hard X-ray radiation detector further comprising a magnet positioned to impart a magnetic field within the bulk semiconductor crystal that is perpendicular to the electric field.

A gamma and/or hard X-ray detector system comprising an array of wireless gamma and/or hard X-ray radiation detectors, each of the wireless gamma and/or hard X-ray radiation detectors in the array comprising:

• a bulk semiconductor crystal comprising indium antimonide (InSb);
• electrical contacts coupled to two facets of the bulk semiconductor crystal;
• a bias circuit electrically coupled to the bulk semiconductor crystal through the electrical contacts;
• a terahertz (THz) electromagnetic (EM) wave receiver positioned to detect THz radiation emitted by the bulk semiconductor crystal;
• a hermetic enclosure within which the bulk semiconductor crystal is positioned;
• and
• xenon gas within the hermetic enclosure.

A wireless gamma and/or hard X-ray radiation detector, comprising:

• a bulk indium antimonide (InSb) semiconductor crystal configured to emit terahertz (THz) radiation in response to absorption of gamma and/or hard X-ray radiation;
• a metal coating formed on multiple sides of the bulk InSb semiconductor crystal;
• a hermetic enclosure surrounding the bulk InSb semiconductor crystal
• xenon gas disposed within the hermetic enclosure, the hermetic enclosure and the xenon gas configured to thermally isolate the bulk InSb semiconductor crystal from an external environment;
• a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) positioned within the hermetic enclosure and thermally coupled to the bulk InSb semiconductor crystal;
• a temperature sensor positioned within the hermetic enclosure and thermally coupled to the bulk InSb semiconductor crystal;
• a TEC controller communicatively coupled to the TEC and the temperature sensor and configured to control a temperature of the TEC and the bulk InSb semiconductor crystal based on a temperature signal from the temperature sensor;
• an external heat sink positioned outside the hermetic enclosure and thermally coupled to the TEC through the hermetic enclosure;
• low thermal conductivity electrical contacts coupled to two facets of the bulk InSb semi conductor crystal;
• a bias circuit electrically coupled to the bulk InSb semiconductor crystal through the low thermal conductivity electrical contacts and configured to apply a bias voltage to the bulk InSb semiconductor crystal through the low thermal conductivity electrical contacts to generate an electric field within the bulk InSb semiconductor crystal;
• a THz electromagnetic (EM) wave receiver positioned outside the hermetic enclosure to detect THz radiation emitted by the bulk InSb semiconductor crystal;
• and
• an event detection circuit coupled to the THz EM wave receiver, the event detector circuit configured to detect gamma and/or hard X-ray radiation absorption events based on a THz radiation detection signal output by the THz EM wave receiver to the event detector circuit;
• wherein:
• the bias circuit is coupled to a voltage supply and comprises a current limiting resistor coupled in series between the voltage supply and one of the low thermal conductivity electrical contacts;
• the bias circuit is configured to supply a DC bias to the bulk InSb semiconductor crystal of less than 2 volts;
• the hermetic enclosure comprises a metallized coating and a non-metallized aperture formed in the metallized coating, the THz EM wave receiver aligned to the non-metallized aperture;
• and
• the hermetic enclosure forms a resonant cavity to enhance amplitude of the THz radiation.