Development Trends of Gamma-ray Detectors Using Transparent Semiconductors

Abstract

  Transparent semiconductors are useful for constructing gamma-ray detectors using charge induction and Cherenkov light signals for good energy and position resolution and fast time resolution. Thallium bromide (TlBr) is a compound semiconductor with the band gap energy of 2.68 eV. This makes TlBr crystals transparent to visible light. TlBr is an attractive material for gamma-ray detectors because of its high atomic number and density. This article reviews the development trends of gamma-ray detectors using transparent semiconductors, with emphasis on TlBr detectors.