Charge collection efficiency in a semiconductor radiation detector with a non-constant electric field

The development of a model which enables the calculation of charge collection efficiencies in a planar semiconductor detector with a nonconstant electric field is described. The validity of the model is verified analytically by comparing the results predicted by it with known solutions for the limiting case of a constant field. The correctness of the model is also established by comparing its predictions with experimental results. The utility of this model is shown by computing an electric field distribution which would lead to improved energy resolution in a semiconductor detector. >