Development of the technology for growing TlBr detector crystals

The results of the development of the TlBr crystals growth technology are presented. For the purification of the TlBr salts, the combination of the vacuum distillation (VD) methods and directed crystallization (DC) was applied. The processes of the vacuum distillation were made in the vertical one-zone pipe furnace with the resistance heater. The equipment for the processes of directed crystallization is the vertical two-zone pipe furnace with the resistance heater. The processes of growth were made at the same device as DC, but with slightly modified modes. Technology modes for all technological processes are presented. All investigated crystals were grown from the melt by Bridgman-Stockbarger method. The values of the specific resistance of the grown crystals, the ratio of the transport characteristics of the electrons and holes are presented. The possible technological reasons affecting the electrophysical parameters of the crystal are analysed. The results of the development of the single and pixel detectors on the basis of the developed crystals are presented. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.