A Novel asymmetrical peak broadening feature for a CdZnTe detector response function modeling using PHITS particle and heavy ion transport simulation code

Meleshenkovskii, I.*; Ogawa, Tatsuhiko   ; Pauly, N.*; Labeau, P.-E.*

CdZnTe (CZT) semiconductor detectors are featured by the fact that it can be operated in room-temperature. In CZT, however, the hole collection efficiency is substantially less than 100% owing to its low hole-mobility. Therefore the detector signal is suppressed depending on the distance of ionization from the anode. In particular, gamma-rays interact with the detector at random, which result in asymmetric pulse-height distribution. Among the radiation transport codes available up to now, other than PHITS which can consider symmetric gaussian distribution, any codes did not have functions to consider arbitrary response functions. On the other hand, Melechankovski et al proposed a function form that can reproduce the pulse-height spectrum of CZT detectors. In this study, the pulse-height spectra of a 500 mm CZT detector exposed to gamma rays from 59 keV (Am) to 1332 keV (Co) was measured and compared with the energy deposition spectrum calculated PHITS with incorporating the Melechankovski's CZT detector response formula. The comparison showed satisfactory agreement between the calculated and measured pulse-height distribution featured by the gaussian peak shape and exponential decline in the lower energy side. This new function enables experimental design considering realistic detector performance as well as detector system design considering detector response. The arbitrary detector response function was incorporated to PHITS Ver.3.10 and later.