A comparison of the X-ray performance of TlBr crystals grown by the Bridgeman–Stockbarger and travelling molten zone methods

We have investigated at optimal temperature the X-ray detection characteristics of two TlBr crystals by the Traveling Molten Zone (TMZ) technique. The resistivities were typically 1.5×1010 Ω cm at room temperature, increasing to (1.1–1.7)×1012 Ω cm at −15°C. In the temperature range −0°C to −50°C, both crystals exhibited mobility-lifetime products of ∼8×10−5 cm2V−1 and ∼1.5×10−5 cm2V−1, for electrons and holes respectively. From these crystals, two detectors were packaged and X-ray metrology carried out. For the best detector, the measured energy resolutions at an operating temperature of −15°C and 500 V bias were 1.0 keV at 5.9 keV; 1.1 at 13.9 keV; 2.5 at 59.54 keV; 3.3 keV at 88 keV; 4 keV at 122 keV and 27.7 keV at 662 keV.A comparative analysis of the characteristics of detectors grown by TMZ to those grown by the Bridgeman–Stockbarger method is given.