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PURIFICATION AND CRYSTAL GROWTH OF INI AND ALLOYS IN1-xTLxI AND IN1-xGAxI FOR APPLICATION IN X-RAY AND GAMMA-RAY DETECTORS
Title
PURIFICATION AND CRYSTAL GROWTH OF INI AND ALLOYS IN1-xTLxI AND IN1-xGAxI FOR APPLICATION IN X-RAY AND GAMMA-RAY DETECTORS
Creator
Riabov, Volodymyr
Date
2016, 2016-07
Description
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
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Melt Growth of Indium-Iodide on Earth and in Microgravity
Title
Melt Growth of Indium-Iodide on Earth and in Microgravity
Creator
Riabov, Vladimir
Date
2023
Description
Indium Iodide is a heavy metal halide and a wide band-gap semiconductor which has a potential for application in room temperature γ- and X-ray...
Show moreIndium Iodide is a heavy metal halide and a wide band-gap semiconductor which has a potential for application in room temperature γ- and X-ray detectors. Its physical properties are similar to those of other materials used as room temperature radiation detectors. Over the years the technology of purification and crystal growth of InI was developed. Significant advances were made to improve purity, crystal structure and resulting electronic properties of the material. Nevertheless, the desired detector performance has not been achieved yet. Stress-induced crystal lattice defects resulting from solidification in contact with crucible are suspected to be responsible for the limited performance. Microgravity environment was previously used to study its effects on the process of crystal growth from the melt applied to semiconductors. It was observed that unlike on Earth materials can solidify without contact with the wall, when the sample is confined by the crucible. It was also shown that such detached solidification can drastically reduce stress-induced defects of the crystal lattice and improve electronic properties of the material. In this study crystal growth of InI was studied in microgravity, attempting to achieve detached solidification, and observe it in a transparent zone of a furnace. Partially detached solidification (a large free surface) has occurred in one of the samples. The resulting crystals were characterized by measuring their electronic properties and estimating the radiation detector performance of the devices manufactured using the crystals.
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