Hard x-ray response of a CdZnTe ring-drift detector

Abstract

We present the results of an experimental study of a special type of CdZnTe detector of hard x and γ rays—a ring-drift detector. The device consists of a double ring electrode structure surrounding a central point anode with a guard plane surrounding the outer anode ring. The detector can be operated in two distinctively different modes of charge collection—pseudohemispherical and pseudodrift. We study the detector response profiles obtained by scanning the focused x-ray beam over the whole detector area, specifically the variations in count rate, peak position, and energy resolution for x rays from 10 to 100 keV. In addition, at 662 keV the energy resolution was shown to be 4.8 keV, more than a factor of 2 better than for CdZnTe coplanar grid detectors. To interpret the experimental data, we derive an analytical expression for the spatial distribution of the electric field inside the detector and neglecting carrier diffusion, and identify carrier collection patterns for both modes of operation within the drift model approximation. We show that this model provides a good understanding of measured profiles.