Radiation Hardness of Silicon Detectors - A Challenge from High Energy Physics

An overview of the radiation damage induced problems connected with the application of silicon particle detectors in future high energy physics experiments is given. Problems arising from the expected hadron fluences are summarized and the use of the nonionizing energy loss for normalization of bulk damage is explained. The present knowledge on the deterioration effects caused by irradiation is described leading to an appropriate modeling. Examples are given for a correlation between the change in the macroscopic performance parameters and effects to be seen on the microscopic level by defect analysis. Finally possible ways are outlined for improving the radiation tolerance of silicon detectors either by operational conditions, process technology or defect engineering.