1/12/22, 2:40 PM How should I recool this HPGE detector that has warmed up?

Answer to Question #10416 Submitted to "Ask the Experts"

Category: Instrumentation and Measurements

The following question was answered by an expert in the appropriate field:

Q
I have a high purity germanium detector operated on liquid nitrogen. After a week it was observed that detector
warmed up. What is the procedure to cool it down?
A

The use of high

purity germanium (HPGE) type detectors have the great advantage that they can
be allowed to
warm up and not suffer damage. This is unlike the older lithium
drifted detectors that were not tolerant of any
significant warm up because of
the associated migration of the lithium ions, resulting in an improperly
functioning detector. You do not specify the conditions under which your
detector warmed up; in particular,
whether the high voltage was applied during
the time that the detector warmed up? Most systems are
interlocked to prevent
this, but if the voltage had been applied the system may have sustained some
damage
because of the high leakage current that would have resulted and would
most likely have burned out the field-
effect transistor (FET) used in the
preamplifier. Repairing this constitutes a major job since this part is
normally
within the vacuum cryostat.

The precise
procedure for recooling the detector with liquid nitrogen depends, in good
measure, on the
particular configuration of the detector/cryostat and the dewar
vessel, but some fairly common considerations
apply to most.

Assuming that
no voltage was on while the detector was warming, if the detector has not already
warmed
completely to room temperature, allow it to do so. The system may
require a couple of days to reach room
temperature and thermally equilibrate
(it sounds as if yours already has warmed). Apply no voltage and remove
electronic connections.

With the
cryostat/dipstick assembly mounted in the dewar vessel, make sure that the
cryostat vent tube and fill
tube are open and free of any obstructions. It is
often desirable to attach an extension tube to the vent to carry
cold vented
nitrogen at least several feet away from the cryostat. If you are filling the
cryostat by gravity it is
usually preferable to connect a metal funnel to the
inlet with a short piece of tubing (plastic tubing may be used
but it is
subject to cracking, and a flexible metal tube is better). The intention is to
fill the cryostat without
getting liquid nitrogen or cold vented nitrogen in
direct contact with the outside of the cryostat or with detector
and associated
electronics to avoid damage to these components that can result from dramatic
changes in
temperature; sudden contractions or expansions can lead to failures
in vacuum flanges, which require major
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1/12/22, 2:40 PM How should I recool this HPGE detector that has warmed up?

repair efforts to reestablish the

required vacuum. If you are using a pressurized reservoir of liquid nitrogen to
fill the cryostat directly, check with the manufacturer to ensure that you are
using the correct pressure. It is
common practice to position the dewar on a
flat platform scale so that the weight of added nitrogen can be
determined, and
the supply can be terminated when the desired capacity has been reached. If
this is not used it
is generally adequate to fill carefully until some slight overflow
is observed in the vent pipe.

Once the
dewar has been filled, you must wait long enough for the detector to completely
cool before applying
any voltage. This waiting time may vary with
cryostat/detector and dewar configuration, but a minimum time
of about eight
hours is common. I assume you have experience handling liquid nitrogen and are
familiar with
safety precautions, and I will not say more about that.

There are
variations on recommendations for recooling detectors that have warmed,
depending on manufacturer
and the types of cryostats and detector
configurations being used. Here is a link
to a useful document from
PGT, one of the major providers of HPGE detection
systems. Download the document and refer to the Table of
Contents. Section 2
discusses filling of cryostats with liquid nitrogen, and some other sections,
particularly
Section 3, may be helpful.

Good luck!

George Chabot,
PhD

Answer posted on 10 September 2012. The information posted on this web page is intended as general
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