Measuring the bulk resistivity of CdZnTe single crystal detectors using a contactless alternating electric field method

It is of some importance to know the bulk resistivity of semiconductor materials. Conventionally, measurements of bulk resistivity require the use of electrical contact directly to the sample itself. This raises questions related to the type of contact so formed. To address this issue, a contactless method of measurement has been devised, based on the dielectric heating produced by inducing an alternating current in the dielectric of a capacitor. This effect has been demonstrated to be both feasible and accurate, resulting in the measurement of a bulk resistivity of 4.5 × 1010 Ω cm for small samples of CdZnTe.