Investigation of Structural Defects in CdZnTe Detector-Grade Crystals

We investigated structural defects in CdZnTe detector-grade crystals grown under different conditions. Here, we report our findings from high-resolution electron microscopy [transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning TEM (STEM)] and scanning electron microscopy integrated with energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy to characterize the material’s structural and chemical composition. Combining these techniques gave us important information about the defects, their concentration, and the elemental composition of the CdZnTe crystals. Our experimental observations demonstrated some distinct nanostructural defects in the crystals that may play a major role in device performance.