Large room temperature single crystal CdZnTe detectors

Large room temperature X-ray and γ-ray detectors with energy resolution comparable to cooled Ge detectors are needed for medical imaging, X-ray defectometry, dosimetry, metallurgical processing, ore assaying, oil well logging, and so on. We have produced Cd_1-xZn_xTe poly-crystals with diameters up to 50 mm, thicknesses up to 10 mm, and weights up to 80 g by a modified vapor phase growth technology. Thus we are establishing an attractive alternative to the high pressure Bridgman technique from which all commercial detectors are now made. We believe that our mVPG technology can be optimized to produce detector quality single CZT crystals of up to ~1,000 cm³ from which we can construct commercial X- and γ-ray detectors