The first 25 years of silicon drift detectors: A personal view

In autumn 1982 Emilio Gatti and Pavel Rehak had the genial idea to develop a semiconductor drift chamber and in 1983 they presented the first experimental results related to this novel transport scheme, which were published in 1984. After 25 years we can say that a new era in silicon detection had started. This paper intends to celebrate - with a personal view - such invention and the later development work that made possible the spread of silicon drift detectors in scientific research and in industrial technology.