Monocrystalline ZnSe as an ionising radiation detector operated over a wide temperature range

•Analysis of the main requirements for semiconductor detectors of ionising radiation operated over a wide temperature range.•Experimental investigation into the luminescent and electrical properties of the wide-gap semiconductor ZnSe.•ZnSe was tested as a spectrometric X-ray detector in pulse-counting mode over a wide temperature range up to 130 °C.

This work presents an analysis of the main requirements for semiconductor detectors of ionising radiation that can be operated over a wide temperature range. The analysis shows that wide-gap semiconductors with a band gap greater than 2.0 eV are a better option for effective detection of ionising radiation at high temperatures. The results of an experimental investigation into the luminescent, electrical and spectrometric properties of the wide-gap semiconductor ZnSe are shown as an example. Undoped monocrystalline ZnSe has an extremely low leakage current over a wide range of temperatures up to 167 °C and can be used as a radiometric X-ray detector in pulse-counting mode over a wide temperature range up to at least 130 °C.