A stratified, 
solid-state 
detector for 
ionizing radiation, is provided, wherein an operating bias is applied in parallel to all the strata. Since the bias required for accelerating electrons away from holes in a 
solid-state material is generally a function of material thickness, a stack of thin 
solid-state-material 
layers, connected in parallel, will operate at only a fraction of the bias required for a single, thick layer of solid-state-material of an equivalent thickness. Thus, stratification allows for reduced 
operating voltage and improved manufacturing flexibility. Additionally, a high-
voltage power supply need not be used, thus increasing the safety of the 
detector. Stratification may further provide information on incident-
radiation energy, based on depth penetration into the 
detector, wherein the 
layers may operate as “depth pixels.” Generally, the higher the incident 
radiation energy, the greater the probability for 
deep penetration into the 
solid state material. The stratified, solid-state detector may be designed as a stack of relatively thin solid-state-material 
layers, each with dedicated 
electrical contacts, and electrical insulation between layers. Alternatively, the stratified detector may be designed as a stack of relatively thin solid-state-material layers, with thin 
electrode layers, alternating between positive and negative senses, between them. Alternatively, the stratified detector may be designed as a stack of relatively thin solid-state-material layers, with thin 
electrode strips between them, wherein the 
electrode strips form a weave: at one layer the electrode strips are positive, running in a first direction, and at another, the electrode strips are negative, and running in a direction orthogonal to the positive strips. In effect, the weave electrode structure forms a pixel-like structure from single-pixel solid-state-material layers. The incident 
radiation may be orthogonal to or parallel with the stack of solid-state-material layers.