The silicon-based positive-intrinsic-negative (PIN) photodiodes are widely used in adaptors, fast switches, photodetectors, and high-voltage power applications because they have an intrinsic layer inserted into the PN diode and can form a wide depletion layer. In this thesis, the PIN photodiode, so called PAL-PD, was designed and fabricated. It used 500 mu thickness and five or more kiloohm high resistivity n-type silicon wafer. The 10 mm x 10 mm size (PAD1) was designed as a main because it is the same size as the sensor widely used in various research facilities. Additionally, for the large-area sensors, 20 mm x 20 mm (PAD4) and 30 mm x 30 mm (PAD9) and matrix-type sensors with a center hole (MAT) were designed. The PAL-PD uses the N-side as the ohmic side and the P-side as the junction side. The PAD1 sensor is classified into four types according to the metal structure of each side. To verify the performance difference between the metal structure of each side, it was designed into a ring and whole metal type. Because of this difference, the N-side ring metal type has a light entrance window and the N-side whole metal type doesn't have it. The electrical characteristics, the leakage current and bulk capacitance, were measured to verify the performance of the sensors. The measured bulk capacitance value is 22.7 pF on average, which sets the operation voltage to –200 V. At the operation voltage, the leakage current was measured according to the wafer and the metal types. The sensor whose leakage current below 20nA/cm^2 was classified as an A-class sensor. For the classified sensors, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was measured using Sr-90 beta source, and energy resolution was measured using Am-241 and Ba-133 gamma sources. The measured results were compared with the reference sensor's results and the SNR for beta radioactive shows linearity for the thickness of the silicon sensor. The signal detected from the gamma radioactive sources showed linearity with the energy of the gamma sources. The SNR and the energy resolution of the reference sensor were measured equally and compare with the PAL-PD. The X-ray beam test was conducted at Pohang Accelerator Laboratory X-ray Free Electron Laser (PAL-XFEL). The PAD1 sensors were used and the signal of sensors was analyzed for each metal type and compared with the result of the reference sensor. The result was analyzed for the waveform, charge distribution, and normalized charge. The PAL-PD shows a comparable result for 600 and 900 eV beams when compared to the reference sensor.
Thesis Advisor: Prof. Hwanbae Park