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Microhardness study of Cd1-xZnxTe1-ySey crystals for X-ray and gamma ray detectors

Publication at Faculty of Mathematics and Physics |
2020

Abstract

We performed a detailed Vickers microhardness study of quaternary material Cd1-xZnxTe1-ySey (CZTS), which is currently under investigation for applications in the detection of hard X-rays and gamma rays. In this frame, the Vickers microhardness method, resistivity mapping, low-temperature (4.2 K) photoluminescence, and Se energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) composition analysis were employed along the crystal growth axis.

The microhardness values measured at 50 g load (HV 0.05), bandgap, and crystal composition along the crystal axis have been correlated. We also performed a comparative study of a set of CdTe, CdZnTe, and CdTeSe samples.

We observed a significantly higher microhardness in CZTS crystals when compared to CdZnTe crystals. While in the CdZnTe crystals the microhardness increases by approx. 2.1 HV 0.05 per 1% of Zn + Se content, in CZTS crystals this value is 4.1 HV 0.05.

This result indicates a possible additional strengthening of the effect when Zn and Se are mixed in the CdTe lattice.