Recent Developments in the Fabrication and Operation of Germanium Detectors

Abstract

Although developed and first demonstrated more than 40 years ago, germanium detectors still represent the gold standard in detecting γ radiation for energies ranging from approximately 100 keV to 10 MeV. The combination of high-efficiency and excellent energy resolution and many recent technological developments have significantly increased the range of applications for Ge detectors. We review the state of the art in the fabrication and operation of Ge detectors by mapping recent developments in Ge detector technologies to a range of applications. These include research in nuclear physics, fundamental physics, and astrophysics, as well as applications in medical imaging and homeland security. Ge detector technologies will remain vitally important for applied and basic research instruments for high-sensitivity γ-ray detection in the future.