Cadmium telluride small probes for gamma-ray spectrometry

Cadmium telluride (CdTe), having a rather high atomic number Z and large bandgap Eg, is well adapted for manufacturing small gamma ray spectrometers operating at room temperature. Recent progress in materials performance, combined with new approaches in detector structures as well as progress in small sized hybrid low noise electronics and pulse handling systems, have made possible the manufacturing of very small efficient probes. This paper considers different aspects of these new probes, including their spectroscopic performance.