  Large, high-purity, germanium (HPGe) detectors are needed for neutrinoless
double-beta decay and dark matter experiments. Currently, large (> 4 inches in
diameter) HPGe crystals can be grown at the University of South Dakota (USD).
We verify that the quality of the grown crystals is sufficient for use in large
detectors by fabricating and characterizing smaller HPGe detectors made from
those crystals. We report the results from eight detectors fabricated over six
months using crystals grown at USD. Amorphous germanium (a-Ge) contacts are
used for blocking both electrons and holes. Two types of geometry were used to
fabricate HPGe detectors. As a result, the fabrication process of small planar
detectors at USD is discussed in great detail. The impact of the procedure and
geometry on the detector performance was analyzed for eight detectors. We
characterized the detectors by measuring the leakage current, capacitance, and
energy resolution at 662 keV with a Cs-137 source. Four detectors show good
performance, which indicates that crystals grown at USD are suitable for making
HPGe detectors.
