Growth of Large Diameter High-Purity Germanium Crystals for Nuclear Physics Research

The existence of larger diameter germanium crystals will provide larger, more sensitive, gamma-ray detectors for Nuclear Physics measurements at DOE user facilities. Large Diameter germanium crystal growth techniques will be experimentally developed during the Phase I and Phase II. Large diameter germanium crystals will be grown and evaluated in the context of germanium gamma-ray detectors for DOE Nuclear Physics. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits: The improvements afforded by the existence of larger diameter germanium crystals will enable important germanium detector systems to enter new regions of sensitivity and commercial viability. These systems will have immediate applications in research taking place at DOE user facilities including nuclear physics, astrophysics, and rare-particle detection. Moreover, these detector systems will enable germanium detectors to enter commercially active fields currently unoccupied by germanium detectors. The most important of these fields is nuclear medicine. The path from growing the germanium crystal to a final detector system will always remain viable in the United States. The process requires an environment including the presence of good scientists, engineers, technicians, and close association with research scientists at DOE laboratories. The work proposed here provides the seed to initiate and motivate this effort having tremendous social and economic benefits for the United States and the world. All of the work to be performed under this SBIR will be performed by PHDs Co. in Oak Ridge, TN. PHDs Co. is a 100% domestic corporation.