Silicon $4\pi$ spectrometer for $\beta$-decay electrons with energies up to 3~MeV

Abstract

We present a description of the originally developed $\beta$-spectrometer consisting of two Si(Li)-detectors with sensitive area thickness above 8~mm and $4\pi$-geometry. The full absorption spectrometer allows for direct measurements of $\beta$-spectra, disregarding the corrections to the response function induced by the electron backscattering from the crystal surface. In case of $\beta$-spectra of transitions to the excited state of the daughter isotope additional 3" BGO-detector is used in order to detect the $\gamma$-quanta in coincidence with the pair of Si(Li)-spectrometers.