ARI-MA: Systematic Approach to CdZnTe Material and Detector Development

本项目的研究目标是发展材料的制备方法，包括合成、提纯和晶体生长，表征其物理和化学性质，并将其用于制作辐射探测器。探测器将进行测试和集成，以实现国家安全应用的实用检测设备。我们将通过以下方式扩大这一领域的整体知识：开发一种改进的晶体生长方法，以控制晶体质量和产量，该程序将理论、建模和实验融为一体，具有基础和应用研究两个方面。该项目将产生开发比当前一代设备具有更高分辨率、更高方向灵敏度和更高探测效率的探测器所需的知识。如果这项研究成功，这项研究成果将促进碲化镉锌(CZT)伽马谱仪和成像系统的科学和技术，用于许多涉及辐射和核威胁的国家安全应用。在晶体生长、晶体表征和探测器制造方面将开发新的和最佳的技术。这个学术项目承诺，它将产生可公布的数据，从而能够建立处理-性质-性能关联，并制造紧凑和低功率、改进的伽马谱仪和成像仪，用于识别和定位核同位素。这个合作项目将涉及从本科生到博士研究生的学生，并将培养出比任何其他美国学术项目都更多的受过探测器培训的科学家和工程师。FISK的学生将顺利过渡到拥有博士学位的主要研究型大学。该项目将吸引和培养高素质和多样化的新一代博士科学家。

The research objective of this project is to develop materials preparation methods, including synthesis, purification and crystal growth, characterize the physical and chemical properties and use them to fabricate radiation detectors. The detectors will be tested and integrated to realize practical detection devices for national security applications. We will expand the overall knowledge in this area by: developing an improved crystal growth method for control of crystal quality and yield and the program will meld together theory, modeling and experiments, having both fundamental and applied research aspects. The project will generate the knowledge needed to develop detectors that will have higher resolution, better directional sensitivity, and higher detection efficiency than current generation of devices.If successful, the results of this research will advance the science and technology of cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) gamma spectrometers and imaging systems for many national security applications involving radiological and nuclear threats. Novel and optimal techniques for crystal growth, crystal characterization and detector fabrication will be developed. This academic project bears the promise that it will produce publishable data allowing to establishing processing-properties-performance correlations and fabricate compact and low power, improved gamma spectrometers and imagers for the identification and location of nuclear isotopes. This collaborative program will involve students, ranging from undergraduates through PhD graduate students and will produce more detector-trained scientists and engineers than any other US academic program. Fisk students will transition smoothly to a major research university with PhD programs. The project will attract and develop a high quality and diverse new generation of PhD scientists.