The
PIN X-ray diode is a variation of the
PIN photodiode. Types exists for
X-ray,
gamma and
particle radiations. To use it as a
radiation detector
you can measure the
voltage it gives out, the more
charged particles that hits it the higher the
voltage. Also it's resistance
varies when
particles impacts. This is
similar to the
PIN diode where the
resistance
varies by how much
current that flows through it, but in the
X-ray
diode this depends on how much
radiation it is
subjected to.
This is caused by an effect similar to the
avalanche photo diode; The
ionizing effect of the
particle
impacts causes a
release and a
flow of
electrons.
An array made of
x-ray diodes can be used in x-ray and
gamma cameras. These
cameras have many uses in
space- and
medical
research.