Commercialization of the Rapid-Production Growth Method for Affordable Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) Semiconductor
- Radiation Detection Technologies Inc.
- Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA (United States)
The goal of the DOE in reduction of the reliance on high-activity commercial and industrial radioactive sources, for the purposes of increasing nonproliferation security, can be better reached by increasing the detection efficiency and efficacy of radiation detection systems that utilize these sources, consequently reducing the required source activity. Cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) has proven to be a valuable material for high-resolution, high detection-efficiency, room-temperature radiation detectors that can achieve a spectroscopic resolution of <1% full-width half maximum (FWHM). The high spatial and energy resolution of CZT, compared to that of scintillators, offers superior efficiency and image quality for nuclear safeguards, homeland security, nuclear medicine, and x-ray imaging applications. Recent advancements in the Accelerated Crucible Rotation Technique by Modified Vertical Bridgman (ACRT-MVB) crystal growth method, developed at Washington State University by Dr. K. Lynn, allows for CZT and similar materials to be grown at 10 – 20× faster growth rates than the current state-of-the-art methods, with material quality resulting in equal or better detector performance. At price points currently between $1500 - $2000 / cm3 for spectroscopic grade CZT, manufactures of radioisotope identifiers have resorted to inferior performing devices using detectors such as scintillators. The ACRT-MVB growth method for CZT is fast and does not required post-growth processing, two major advantages that lower the material cost. We predict a 3× reduction in cost in the final CZT device with this new growth method.
- Research Organization:
- Radiation Detection Technologies
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- Contributing Organization:
- University of Michigan FLIR Technologies
- DOE Contract Number:
- SC0020023
- OSTI ID:
- 1633076
- Type / Phase:
- STTR (Phase I)
- Report Number(s):
- DOE-RDT-20023-1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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