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CdZnTe Radiation Detectors and Applications

A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Intelligent Sensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2022) | Viewed by 11384

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica - Emilio Segrè, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Edificio 18, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Interests: X-ray and gamma-ray detectors; CdTe and CdZnTe detectors; electrical characterization of semiconductors detectors; ionizing radation damage in semiconductor material and devices

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Over the last few decades, CdZnTe (CZT) semiconductors have emerged as the material of choice for room-temperature hard X-ray and soft γ-ray detectors.

Significant progress has been made in crystal growth, which now allows the production of high-quality, large-volume CZT detectors with different geometries such as planar, pixilated, and co-planar grid able to perform high-resolution room temperature spectroscopy. Today, the high performances of both front-end and readout electronics lead to the development of sensing modules with CZT detectors for medical imaging, security screening, and non-destructive testing applications.

In this framework, it is my pleasure to edit this Special Issue on “CdZnTe Radiation Detectors and Applications".

This Special Issue invites submissions of both review and original research articles related to the state of the art in CZT sensors, as well as prospects for future developments and applications.

Dr. Fabio Principato
Guest Editor

If you want to learn more information or need any advice, you can contact the Special Issue Editor Bell Ding via <[email protected]>

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sensors is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 3407 KiB  
Article
Ballistic Deficit Pulse Processing in Cadmium–Zinc–Telluride Pixel Detectors for High-Flux X-ray Measurements
by Antonino Buttacavoli, Fabio Principato, Gaetano Gerardi, Manuele Bettelli, Andrea Zappettini, Paul Seller, Matthew C. Veale, Silvia Zanettini and Leonardo Abbene
Sensors 2022, 22(9), 3409; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/s22093409 - 29 Apr 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1770
Abstract
High-flux X-ray measurements with high-energy resolution and high throughput require the mitigation of pile-up and dead time effects. The reduction of the time width of the shaped pulses is a key approach, taking into account the distortions from the ballistic deficit, non-linearity, and [...] Read more.
High-flux X-ray measurements with high-energy resolution and high throughput require the mitigation of pile-up and dead time effects. The reduction of the time width of the shaped pulses is a key approach, taking into account the distortions from the ballistic deficit, non-linearity, and time instabilities. In this work, we will present the performance of cadmium–zinc–telluride (CdZnTe or CZT) pixel detectors equipped with digital shapers faster than the preamplifier peaking times (ballistic deficit pulse processing). The effects on energy resolution, throughput, energy-linearity, time stability, charge sharing, and pile-up are shown. The results highlight the absence of time instabilities and high-energy resolution (<4% FWHM at 122 keV) when ballistic deficit pulse processing (dead time of 90 ns) was used in CZT pixel detectors. These activities are in the framework of an international collaboration on the development of spectroscopic imagers for medical applications (mammography, computed tomography) and non-destructive testing in the food industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue CdZnTe Radiation Detectors and Applications)
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15 pages, 2543 KiB  
Article
Optical Writing and Electro-Optic Imaging of Reversible Space Charges in Semi-Insulating CdTe Diodes
by Adriano Cola, Lorenzo Dominici and Antonio Valletta
Sensors 2022, 22(4), 1579; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/s22041579 - 17 Feb 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1576
Abstract
Deep levels control the space charge in electrically compensated semi-insulating materials. They limit the performance of radiation detectors but their interaction with free carriers can be favorably exploited in these devices to manipulate the spatial distribution of the electric field by optical beams. [...] Read more.
Deep levels control the space charge in electrically compensated semi-insulating materials. They limit the performance of radiation detectors but their interaction with free carriers can be favorably exploited in these devices to manipulate the spatial distribution of the electric field by optical beams. By using semi-insulating CdTe diodes as a case study, our results show that optical doping functionalities are achieved. As such, a highly stable, flux-dependent, reversible and spatially localized space charge is induced by a line-shaped optical beam focused on the cathode contact area. Real-time non-invasive imaging of the electric field is obtained through the Pockels effect. A simple and convenient method to retrieve the two-dimensional electric field components is presented. Numerical simulations involving just one deep level responsible for the electrical compensation confirm the experimental findings and help to identify the underlying mechanism and critical parameters enabling the optical writing functionalities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue CdZnTe Radiation Detectors and Applications)
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11 pages, 1997 KiB  
Article
Potentialities of High-Resolution 3-D CZT Drift Strip Detectors for Prompt Gamma-Ray Measurements in BNCT
by Leonardo Abbene, Fabio Principato, Antonino Buttacavoli, Gaetano Gerardi, Manuele Bettelli, Andrea Zappettini, Saverio Altieri, Natalia Auricchio, Ezio Caroli, Silvia Zanettini and Nicoletta Protti
Sensors 2022, 22(4), 1502; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/s22041502 - 15 Feb 2022
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2569
Abstract
Recently, new high-resolution cadmium–zinc–telluride (CZT) drift strip detectors for room temperature gamma-ray spectroscopic imaging were developed by our group. The CZT detectors equipped with orthogonal anode/cathode collecting strips, drift strips and dedicated pulse processing allow a detection area of 6 × 20 mm [...] Read more.
Recently, new high-resolution cadmium–zinc–telluride (CZT) drift strip detectors for room temperature gamma-ray spectroscopic imaging were developed by our group. The CZT detectors equipped with orthogonal anode/cathode collecting strips, drift strips and dedicated pulse processing allow a detection area of 6 × 20 mm2 and excellent room temperature spectroscopic performance (0.82% FWHM at 661.7 keV). In this work, we investigated the potentialities of these detectors for prompt gamma-ray spectroscopy (PGS) in boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). The detectors, exploiting the measurement of the 478 keV prompt gamma rays emitted by 94% 7Li nuclides from the 10B(n, α)7Li reaction, are very appealing for the development of single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) systems and Compton cameras in BNCT. High-resolution gamma-ray spectra from 10B samples under thermal neutrons were measured at the T.R.I.G.A. Mark II research nuclear reactor of the University of Pavia (Italy). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue CdZnTe Radiation Detectors and Applications)
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12 pages, 3464 KiB  
Article
Incomplete Charge Collection at Inter-Pixel Gap in Low- and High-Flux Cadmium Zinc Telluride Pixel Detectors
by Antonino Buttacavoli, Fabio Principato, Gaetano Gerardi, Donato Cascio, Giuseppe Raso, Manuele Bettelli, Andrea Zappettini, Paul Seller, Matthew C. Veale and Leonardo Abbene
Sensors 2022, 22(4), 1441; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/s22041441 - 13 Feb 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2147
Abstract
The success of cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) detectors in room-temperature spectroscopic X-ray imaging is now widely accepted. The most common CZT detectors are characterized by enhanced-charge transport properties of electrons, with mobility-lifetime products μeτe > 10−2 cm2/V and μhτh > [...] Read more.
The success of cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) detectors in room-temperature spectroscopic X-ray imaging is now widely accepted. The most common CZT detectors are characterized by enhanced-charge transport properties of electrons, with mobility-lifetime products μeτe > 10−2 cm2/V and μhτh > 10−5 cm2/V. These materials, typically termed low-flux LF-CZT, are successfully used for thick electron-sensing detectors and in low-flux conditions. Recently, new CZT materials with hole mobility-lifetime product enhancements (μhτh > 10−4 cm2/V and μeτe > 10−3 cm2/V) have been fabricated for high-flux measurements (high-flux HF-CZT detectors). In this work, we will present the performance and charge-sharing properties of sub-millimeter CZT pixel detectors based on LF-CZT and HF-CZT crystals. Experimental results from the measurement of energy spectra after charge-sharing addition (CSA) and from 2D X-ray mapping highlight the better charge-collection properties of HF-CZT detectors near the inter-pixel gaps. The successful mitigation of the effects of incomplete charge collection after CSA was also performed through original charge-sharing correction techniques. These activities exist in the framework of international collaboration on the development of energy-resolved X-ray scanners for medical applications and non-destructive testing in the food industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue CdZnTe Radiation Detectors and Applications)
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10 pages, 722 KiB  
Article
Low-Temperature Annealing of CdZnTeSe under Bias
by Martin Rejhon, Vaclav Dedic, Roman Grill, Jan Franc, Utpal N. Roy and Ralph B. James
Sensors 2022, 22(1), 171; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/s22010171 - 28 Dec 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2220
Abstract
We performed a gradual low-temperature annealing up to 360 K on a CdZnTeSe radiation detector equipped with gold and indium electrodes under bias at both polarities. We observed significant changes in the detector’s resistance and space-charge accumulation. This could potentially lead to the [...] Read more.
We performed a gradual low-temperature annealing up to 360 K on a CdZnTeSe radiation detector equipped with gold and indium electrodes under bias at both polarities. We observed significant changes in the detector’s resistance and space-charge accumulation. This could potentially lead to the control and improvement of the electronic properties of the detector because the changes are accompanied with the reduction in the bulk dark current and surface leakage current. In this article, we present the results of a detailed study of the internal electric field and conductivity changes in CdZnTeSe detector for various annealing steps under bias taking into account different polarities during annealing and subsequent characterization. We observed that low-temperature annealing results in an increase in the barrier height at the contacts that, in general, reduces the dark current and decreases the positive space charge present in the sample compared to the pre-annealed condition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue CdZnTe Radiation Detectors and Applications)
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