Cadmium zinc telluride spectral modeling

Cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) detectors are the highest resolution room temp erature gamma-ray detectors available for isotopic analysis. As with german ium detectors, accurate isotopic analysis using spectra requires peak decon volution. The CZT peak shapes are asymmetric, with a long low energy tail. The asymmetry is a result of the physics of the electron/hole transport in the semiconductor. An accurate model of the physics of the electron/hole tr ansport through an electric field will allow the parameterization of the pe ak shapes as a function of energy. In turn this leads to the ability to per form accurate spectral deconvolution and therefore accurate isotopic analys is. The model and the peak-shape parameterization as a function of energy w ill be presented. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.