30 years innovation in industrial silicon detectors: Contributions by Paul Burger
Silicon nuclear particle detectors were introduced around 1955, after single crystal manufacturing was mastered. At first, surface barrier detectors proved superior to diffused and ion-implanted devices. This changed around 1978 when technology developments in microelectronics were applied also in detector construction. Joseph Kemmer and Paul Burger played a preponderant role in this revolution. The industrial aspects have been developed in particular by Burger. Setting up with customers the logistics of mask making and production of a wide variety of detectors has been a great achievement. As a result, the penetration of silicon detectors in many new applications has become possible. In the following three decades the development of CMOS technology has continuously been taken into account in the development of new silicon detectors, both through the associated electronics and in the manufacturing itself.
