Unique defects in cadmium zinc telluride crystals were explored, together with dislocations and Te-rich decorated features, revealed by chemical etching. These distinctive imperfections were extensively investigated in order to identify their origin, dimensions and distribution in the bulk material. It was estimated that these features ranged from 50 to 500μm in diameter, and their depth was about 300μm. The density of these features ranged between 2 x 102 and 103/cm3. A model was proposed for them and their effect upon charge collection and spectral response was predicted. In addition, detectors were fabricated from these defective crystals and fine details of charge-transport phenomena over the detectors’ volume were acquired using a high-spatial resolution (25μm) X-ray response mapping technique. The role of the defects was identified by correlating their signatures with the findings of the present theoretical model and with experimental data.

Extended Defects in CdZnTe Crystals - Effects on Device Performance. A.Hossain, A.E.Bolotnikov, G.S.Camarda, Y.Cui, G.Yang, K.H.Kim, R.Gul, L.Xu, R.B.James: Journal of Crystal Growth, 2010, 312[11], 1795-9