Final answer:
Solid-state detectors provide high efficiency and sophisticated detection, ideal for high-speed imaging applications, though they do not necessarily represent a lower cost or larger size advantage.
Step-by-step explanation:
Solid-state radiation detectors utilize semiconductor technology to convert ionization into an electrical signal. These detectors are known for their high efficiency, as the solid state allows ionizing radiation to be stopped over a shorter distance, reducing the number of particles that escape detection. This makes them particularly useful in high speed imaging applications where accurate and quick detection of ionization is critical. Unlike Geiger tubes, solid-state detectors provide sophisticated information due to their direct current flow that is proportional to the energy deposited by radiation.
The utilization of solid state physics in areas such as medical imaging has led to the refinement and continuation of technologies like X-rays. Moreover, advancements in solid state technology are being made to produce smaller and more powerful microchips, and it has applications in development of high-temperature superconductors used in medical devices, magnetic levitation trains, and nuclear fusion reactors.
However, the advantages of solid-state technology in imaging do not typically include lower cost or larger size. In contrast, solid-state devices are often more expensive due to the complex fabrication processes involved, and on the technological front, they are valued for their compactness rather than their size.