The present work is focused on developing new semiconductor materials based on Indium Monoiodide (InI) for application in room temperature X... Show moreThe present work is focused on developing new semiconductor materials based on Indium Monoiodide (InI) for application in room temperature X-ray and gamma-ray detectors. During past two decades InI was studied as room a temperature detector material due to suitable value of the energy gap and high atomic number of its constituents. The most recent studies include investigations at laboratories of Prof. A. Ostrogorsky at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) during period 2009-2013. The present work was focused on (i) purification of starting InI material and (ii) crystal growth of InI and InI based alloys with objective to investigate effects of purification and alloying on crystal structure, electrical and mechanical properties. Purification was performed at Radiation Monitoring Devices (RMD) Inc. by innovative techniques combined with well established methods, such as Zone Refining Under Reactive Atmosphere. At RMD, purification was followed by crystal growth of InI by the travelling molten zone method. Crystal growth of InI and alloys In0.99Ga0.01I, In0.99Tl0.01I, In0.95Tl0.05I was performed by Vertical Gradient Freeze (VGF) Method at IIT. The microstructure of produced crystals was analyzed, and their Knoop micro-hardness was measured. The concentration of the dopants as a function of position along the crystals was analyzed by Glow Discharge Mass Spectrometry (GDMS) technique. Band gap of produced materials was estimated as a function of composition by Near-UV-Visible range spectroscopy. Radiation detectors were manufactured from produced crystals. Their electrical properties, such as resistivity, photosensitivity and charge carrier mobility, were measured and, finally, detection performance was estimated. M.S. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, July 2016 Show less
