the experimental work consists of two parts. the first involves fabrication of hyper-pure germanium gamma ray detectors using standard surface treatment, chemical etchings and containment in a suitable cryostat. then, after cooling the detectors to 77 k, (gamma) -ray emissions from radioisotopes are resolved, resolution, depletion depth, v(sub r) versus i(sub r) characteristics and /n(sub a) -n(sub d)/ of the germanium are measured. the second part of the work involves investigation of surface states in an effort to achieve long-term stability of operating characteristics. several methods are used: plasma hydrogenation, a-si and a-ge pinch-off effect and simple oxidation. a-ge and a-si thicknesses were measured using rutherford backscattering techniques; surface states were measured with deep level transient spectroscopy and diode reverse current versus reverse voltage plots. some scanning electron microscope measurements were used in determining major film contaminants during backscattering of a-si and a-ge films. surface passivation studies revealed unexpected hole trapping defects generated when a-ge:h film is applied. the a-si:h films were found to be mechanically strong, no defect traps were found and preliminary results suggest that such films will be good passivants. 14 refs., 2 tabs., 7 figs., 13 ills. (atomindex citation 24:035444)