Diodes based on semi-insulating CdTe crystals with Mo/MoO sub(x) contacts for X- and gamma -ray detectors

This paper reports on the possible applications of molybdenum oxide (Mo/MoO sub(x)) contacts in combination with semi-insulating CdTe crystals. The electrical contacts to p-type Cl-doped CdTe crystals were formed by the deposition of molybdenum oxide and pure molybdenum thin films by the DC reactive magnetron sputtering. Electrical properties of the prepared Mo-MoO sub(x)/N-Cd Te/MoO sub(x)-Mo surface-barrier structures were investigated at different temperatures. It is shown that the rapid growth of the reverse current with increasing bias voltage higher than 10V is caused by the space-charge limited currents. Spectrometric properties of the Mo-MoO sub(x)/N-Cd Te/MoO sub(x)-Mo structures have been also analyzed. It is revealed that the developed heterojunction has shown promising characteristics for its practical application in X- and gamma -ray radiation detector fabrication.