Abstract
Four CdZnTe detectors were irradiated with 199 MeV protons to simulate the damaging radiation in space. The gamma-ray spectra of /sup 241/Am and /sup 57/Co as well as the detector leakage currents were monitored at room temperature to assess the effects of radiation damage. Surprisingly, after a fluence of a few /spl times/10/sup 8/ p/cm/sup 2/, gamma-ray peak shifts and resolution degradation became visible. After a fluence of 5/spl times/10/sup 9/ p/cm/sup 2/ the degradation was quite dramatic. An analysis of these effects clearly demonstrates that radiation damage causes electron trapping in CdZnTe detectors. No increase in leakage current or electronic noise was observed. Radiation damage effects in CdZnTe and germanium detectors are compared. CdZnTe detectors are /spl sim/250 times more sensitive to radiation damage than germanium detectors per unit charge-drift distance.
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