Pulsed Feedback Tecniques for Semicondctor Detector Radiation Spectrometers

Methods of applying pulsed-charge feedback to the charge-sensitive preamplifiers used with semiconductor detectors are discussed. All have in commn the accumulation of radiation-induced charge pulses on a feedback capacitor to produce a voltage ramp at the output of the feedback stage, which is reset at an appropriate point by pulsing a charge feedback path. Advantages of pulsed feedback over the conventional dc feedback techniques are discussed, together with the precautions required to reduce the effect of the large reset pulse on the later electronics. The application of pulsed-light feedback to low energy X-ray spectrometers is discussed and results are presented. We also discuss sane aspects of this system that tend to limit its high-rate performance. A brief account of the use of a transistor current-switch feedback system to reduce overload problems in high-energy γ-ray spectrometers is also given.