Abstract
The material showing the greatest promise today for production of large-volume gamma-ray spectrometers operable at room temperature is cadmium zinc telluride (CZT). Unfortunately, because of deficiencies in the quality of the present material, high-resolution CZT spectrometers have thus far been limited to relatively small dimensions, which makes them inefficient at detecting high photon energies and ineffective for weak radiation signals except in near proximity. To exploit CZT fully, it will be necessary to make substantial improvements in the material quality. Improving the material involves advances in the crystallinity, purity, carrier lifetimes, and control of the electrical compensation mechanism. A more detailed understanding of the underlying material problems limiting the performance of CZT gamma-ray detectors is required; otherwise, problems with supply, delivery times, and unit cost of large-volume (>5 cm3 active volume) CZT spectrometers are expected to continue. A variety of analytical and numerical techniques have been employed to quantify crystallinity, strain, impurities, compositional and stoichiometric variations, bulk and surface defect states, carrier mobilities and lifetimes, electric field distributions, and surface passivation. Data from these measurements were correlated with spatial maps of the gamma-ray and alpha particle spectroscopic response, and feedback on the effectiveness of crystal growth and detector fabrication procedures has been generated. The results of several of these analytical techniques will be presented in this paper.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
“Semiconductors for Room-Temperature Nuclear Detector Applications,” Semiconductors and Semimetals, ed. T.E. Schlesinger and R.B. James, Vol. 40 (New York: Academic, 1995).
C.J. Johnson, E.E. Eissler, S.E. Cameron, Y. Kong, S. Fan, S. Jovanovic and K.G. Lynn, Semiconductor for Room-Temperature Radiation Detector Applications, Vol. 302, ed. R.B. James, T.E. Schlesinger, P. Siffert and L. Franks (Pittsburgh, PA: Materials Research Society, 1993), p. 463.
F.P. Doty, J.F. Butler, J. Schetzina and K. Bowers, J. Vac. Sci. and Tech. B 10, 1418 (1992).
J.E. Toney, B.A. Brunett, T.E. Schlesinger, J.M. van Scyoc, R.B. James, M. Schieber, M. Schieber, M. Goorsky, H. Yoon, E. Eissler and C. Johnson, Nucl. Instr. and Meth. A 380, 132 (1996).
J.E. Toney, B.A. Brunett, T.E. Schlesinger, H. Yoon, J.M. van Scyoc, A.J. Antolak, D.H. Morse, E.E. Eissler, C.J. Johnson, J.C. Lund and R.B. James, Hard X-Ray/Gamma-Ray and Neutron Optics, Sensors, and Applications, Vol. 2859 (Bellingham, WA: SPIE, 1996), p. 17.
J.F. Butler, C.L. Lingren and F.P. Doty, IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci. 39, 605 (1992).
H. Yoon, J.M. van Scyoc, M.S. Goorsky, H. Hermon, M. Schieber, J.C. Lund and R.B. James, J. Electron. Mater. 26 (6), 529 (1997).
M. Schieber, R.B. James, J.C. Lund, R.W. Olsen, D.S. McGregor, J.M. van Scyoc, E. Soria and E. Bauser, Nucl. Inst. and Meth. A 377, 492 (1996).
J.C. Lund, J.M. van Scyoc, D.S. McGregor, R.W. Olsen and R.B. James, Nucl. Instr. and Meth. 380, 256 (1996).
J.M. van Scyoc, J.C. Lund, D.H. Morse, A.J. Antolak, R.W. Olsen, R.B. James, M. Schieber, H. Yoon, M.S. Goorsky, J. Toney and T.E. Schlesinger, J. Electron. Mater. 25, 1323 (1996).
J.E. Toney, B.A. Brunett, T.E. Schlesinger and R.B. James, IEEE Trans. on Nucl. Sci. 44 (4), 1684 (1977).
J.E. Toney, B.A. Brunett, T.E. Schlesinger, R.B. James and E. Eissler, IEEE Trans. on Nucl. Sci. 44 (3), 499 (1997).
J.R. Heffelfinger, D.L. Medlin, H. Yoon and R.B. James, Proc. Hard X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Detector Physics, Optics, and Applications, Vol. 3115, ed. R.B. Hoover and F.P. Doty (Bellingham, WA: SPIE, 1997), p. 40.
A. Burger, K.T. Chen, D. Shi, W.E. Collins and R.B. James, Proc. Hard X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Detector Physics, Optics, and Applications, Vol. 3115, ed. R.B. Hoover and F.P. Doty (Bellingham, WA: SPIE, 1997), p. 70.
J.C. Lund, J. van Scyoc, R. Olsen and R.B. James, IEEE Trans. on Nucl. Sci. 43, 1411 (1996).
M. Richter and P. Siffert, Nucl. Instr. and Meth. A 323, 529 (1992).
Y. Eisen and Y. Horovitz, Nucl. Instr. and Meth. A 353, 60 (1994).
P.N. Luke and E.E. Eissler, IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci. 43, 1481 (1996).
P.N. Luke, Appl. Phys. Lett. 65, 1884 (1994).
H.H. Barrett, J.D. Eskin and H.B. Barber, Phys. Rev. Lett. 75, 156 (1995).
M. Amman and P.N. Luke, Proc. of Hard X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Detector Physics, Optics, and Applications, Vol. 3115, ed. R.B. Hoover and F.P. Doty (Bellingham, WA: SPIE, 1997), p. 205.
Z. He, G.F. Knoll, D.K. Wehe and J. Miyamoto, IEEE Nucl. Sci. Symp. Conf. Record, ed. A. Del Guerra, (New York: IEEE, 1997), p. 331.
H. Walter Yao, R.J. Anderson and R.B. James, Proc. of Hard X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Detector Physics, Optics, and Applications, Vol. 3115, ed. R.B. Hoover and F.P. Doty (Bellingham, WA: SPIE, 1997), p. 62.
B.A. Brunett, H. Yoon, J. van Seyoc, J. Lund, R.B. James and T.E. Schlesinger, Semiconductors for Room-Temperature Radiation Detectors II, ed. R.B. James, T.E. Schlesinger, M. Cuzin, P. Siffert, M. Squillante and W. Dusi (Pittsburgh, PA: Materials Research Society, 1998), p. 39.
H. Yoon, J.M. van Scyoc, M.S. Goorsky, B.A. Brune and R.B. James, Semiconductors for Room Temperature Radiation Detectors II, ed. R.B. James, T.E. Schlesinger, M. Cuzin, P. Siffert, M. Squillante and W. Dusi (Pittsburgh, PA: Materials Resarch Society, 1998), p. 115.
H. Yao, R.J. Anderson, R.B. James and R.W. Olsen, Semiconductors for Room-Temperature Radiation Detectors II, ed. R.B. James, T.E. Schlesinger, M. Cuzin, P. Siffert, M. Squillante and W. Dusi (Pittsburgh, PA: Materials Research Society, 1998), p. 51.
C.L. Lingren, B. Apotovsky, J.F. Butler, F.P. Doty, S.J. Friesenhahn, A. Oganesyan, B. Pi and S. Zhao, Semiconductors for Room-Temperature Radiation Detectors II, ed., R.B. James, T.E. Schlesinger, M. Cuzin, P. Siffert, M. Squillante and W. Dusi (Pittsburgh, PA: Materials Research Society, 1998), p. 263.
C.L. Lingren, S.J. Friesenhahn, J.F. Butler, B. Pi, B. Apotovsky, T.C. Collins and F.P. Doty, IEEE Conf. Record of 1997 Nuclear Science Symp., ed. O. Nalcioglu, in press.
R. Arlt, V. Ivanov and A. Khusainov, Proc. of Hard X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Detector Physics, Optics, and Applications, Vol. 3115, ed. R.B. Hoover and F.P. Doty (Bellingham, WA: SPIE, 1997), p. 76.
J. Shen, D.K. Aidun, L. Regel, and W.R. Wilcox, J. Cryst. Growth 132, 250 (1993).
D.J. Williams, Narrow Gap Cadmium-Based Compounds, ed. P. Capper (Stevenage, U.K.: INSPEC, 1994), p. 510.
J. Heffelfinger, D.L. Medlin and R.B. James Semiconductors for Room-Temperature Radiation Detectors II, ed. R.B. James, T.E. Schlesinger, M. Cuzin, P. Siffert, M. Squillante and W. Dusi (Pittsburgh, PA: Materials Research Society, 1998), p. 33.
H.R. Vydyanath, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 10, 1476 (1992).
S.U. Egarievwe, K.T. Chen, A. Burger, R.B. James and C.M. Lisse, J. X-Ray Sci. and Technol. 6, 309 (1996).
A. Burger, unpublished.
J.C. Lund, H. Yoon, N.R. Hilton, B.A. Brunett and R.B. James, Proc. of Hard X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Detector Physics, Optics, and Applications, Vol. 3115, ed. R.B. Hoover and F.P. Doty (Bellingham, WA: SPIE, 1997), p. 190.
C.M. Stahle, Z.Q. Shi, K. Hu, S.D. Barthelmy, S.J. Snodgrass, L.M. Bartlett, P.K. Shu, S.J. Lehtonen and K.J. Mach, Proc. of Hard X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Detector Physics, Optics, and Applications, Vol. 3115, ed. R.B. Hoover and F.P. Doty (Bellingham, WA: SPIE, Bellingham, WA, 1997), p. 90.
H. Hermon, unpublished.
H. Chen, S.U. Egarievwe, Z. Hu, J. Tong, D.T. Shi, G.H. Wu, K.T. Chen, M.A. George, W.E. Collins, A. Burger, R.B. James, C.M. Stahle and L.M. Bartlett, Hard X-Ray/Gamma-Ray and Neutron Optics, Sensors, and Applications, Vol. 2859, (Bellingham, WA: SPIE, 1996), p. 254.
H. Chen, J. Tong, Z. Hu, D.P. Shi, J.H. Wu, K.T. Chen, M.A. George, W. Collins, A. Burger, R.B. James, C.M. Stahle and L.M. Bartlett, J. Appl. Phys. 80 (6), 3509 (1996).
H. Chen, D.T. Shi, B. Granderson, M.A. George, W.E. Collins, A. Burger and R.B. James, J. Vac. Sci. and Tech. A 15 (3), 1 (1997).
A. Burger, H. Chen, J. Tong, D. Shi, M.A. George, K.T. Chen, W.E. Collins, R.B. James, C.M. Stahle and L.M. Bartlett, IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci. 44 (3), 934 (1997).
K.T. Chen, D.T. Shi, H. Chen, B. Granderson, M.A. George, W.E. Collins, A. Burger, R.B. James, C.M. Stahle and L.M. Bartlett, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 15, 850 (1997).
M.A. George, W.E. Collins, K.T. Chen, Z. Hu, S. Egarievwe and A. Burger, J. Appl. Phys. 77, 3134 (1995).
A. Burger, H. Chen, K.T. Chen, D. Shi, W.E. Collins and R.B. James, Semiconductors for Room-Temperature Radiation Detectors II, ed. R.B. James, T.E. Schlesinger, M. Cuzin, P. Siffert, M. Squillante and W. Dusi (Pittsburgh, PA: Materials Research Society, 1998), in press.
H. Chen, K. Chattopadhyay, K.T. Chen, A. Burger, M.A. George, J.J. Weimer, P.K. Nag, J.C. Gregory and R.B. James, unpublished.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
James, R.B., Brunett, B., Heffelfinger, J. et al. Material properties of large-volume cadmium zinc telluride crystals and their relationship to nuclear detector performance. J. Electron. Mater. 27, 788–799 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-998-0055-x
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-998-0055-x