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.