Development of low-cost, large volume CZT spectroscopic gamma detectors

CdZnTe remains the material of choice for room temperature semiconductor detection of X- and -ray radiation, but the availability of high performance material is limited and the cost is high. In this project we will build upon our success in crystal growth and annealing processes that have resulted in growth of large diameter single crystal boules and high performance gamma radiation detectors. The goal of this program is to develop new processing techniques to achieve growth of very large single crystal CdZnTe crystals with a high yield of material suitable for production of spectroscopic gamma detectors. We expect these innovations to substantially reduce the cost of CZT detectors below the current levels. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits: Wide band gap semiconductors such as CdZnTe are exceptionally suitable for detection of nuclear radiation. They have applications as inspection tools in homeland security, Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and scinti- mammography in medicine, and nuclear energy monitoring devices.