CdTe Photoconductors for LHC Luminosity Monitoring

Detectors using CdTe photoconductors are being used with great success in LEP to monitor the vertical beam emittance. They can withstand tremendous irradiation, of up to 10^13 Gy, from hard X-rays. For the LHC, monitors measuring the relative luminosity will be placed inside absorbers located 142 m from the interaction points, where they will receive about 10^8 Gy per year due to gamma radiation and neutrons.<BR> Thick-polycristalline-CdTe detectors were recently tested for speed, sensitivity and radiation resistance before and after receiving up to 10^15 neutrons per cm^2. The test results are presented here, along with a comparison of the calculated charge deposition in Silicon, Diamond and GaAs detectors.