Surface processing of TlBr single crystals used for radiation detectors

The processing method for obtaining the high-quality surfaces of TlBr single crystals, providing removal of a mechanically destroyed surface layer by chemical etching, is developed. The crystals grown from the melt of purified materials by the Bridgman–Stockbarger method were used for the experiments. The Vickers microhardness as a structure-sensitive technique was used in a study of the crystal quality and properties of the plastically deformed surface layer created by cutting. It was shown that even under highly accurate conditions of cutting, the depth of the work-hardened surface layer with a high density of dislocations, vacancies and other structural defects exceeds 20 μm. The advantages of offered processing are demonstrated by the spectrometric properties of the TlBr detectors