Recent progress in Cd1−xZnxTe radiation detectors

Recent progress in the growth of Cd1−xZnxTe (CZT) using the High Pressure Bridgman (HPB) method has demonstrated the potential for greater use of this material in a wide range of applications. Improvements have been made in the preparation of detector blanks, electrical contacts and mounting techniques that have led to improvements in energy resolution, especially at higher photon energies. Most recent studies have indicated that the performance of the material at low (< 150 keV) energies can be significantly improved by cooling the detector to below −30°C with a Thermo-Electric (TE) cooling element. Large volume/large area detectors have been produced, making use of both the latest developments and existing techniques of single polarity charge carrier sensing. Finally, examples of progress in the area of “pixelated” detectors will be presented.