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Use of the drift-time method to measure the electron lifetime in long-drift-length CdZnTe detectors

Journal Article · · Journal of Applied Physics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4962540· OSTI ID:1460686
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [1];  [3];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [4];  [5];  [2];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [6]
  1. Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
  2. Redlen Technologies, Saanichton, BC (Canada)
  3. Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Charles Univ., Prague (Czech Republic). Inst. of Physics
  4. Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States). Dept. of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering
  5. Univ. of Surrey, Guildford (United Kingdom). Dept. of Physics
  6. Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL). Science and Technology Directorate
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The traditional method for electron lifetime measurements of CdZnTe (CZT) detectors relies on using the Hecht equation. The procedure involves measuring the dependence of the detector response on the applied bias to evaluate the μτ product, which in turn can be converted into the carrier lifetime. Despite general acceptance of this technique, which is very convenient for comparative testing of different CZT materials, the assumption of a constant electric field inside a detector is unjustified. In the Hecht equation, this assumption means that the drift time would be a linear function of the distance. This condition is not fulfilled in practice at low applied biases, where the Hecht equation is most sensitive to the μτ product. As a result, researchers usually take measurements at relatively high biases, which work well in the case of the low μτ-product material, <10-3 cm2/V, but give significantly underestimated values for the case of high μτ-product crystals. In this paper, we applied the drift-time method to measure the electron lifetimes in long-drift-length (4 cm) standard-grade CZT detectors produced by the Redlen Technologies. We found that the electron μτ product of tested crystals is in the range 0.1–0.2 cm2/V, which is an order of the magnitude higher than any value previously reported for a CZT material. Finally, in comparison, using the Hecht equation fitting, we obtained μτ = 2.3 × 10-2 cm2/V for a 2-mm thin planar detector fabricated from the same CZT material.

Research Organization:
Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation (NA-20)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0012704
OSTI ID:
1460686
Report Number(s):
BNL--207826-2018-JAAM
Journal Information:
Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 120; ISSN 0021-8979
Publisher:
American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Cited By (1)

Overcoming Mobility Lifetime Product Limitations in Vertical Bridgman Production of Cadmium Zinc Telluride Detectors journal April 2019

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