Thallium-Based Materials for Radiation Detection

A variety of medical imaging, homeland security, industrial monitoring, environmental survey, and physical science applications can be largely enhanced by employing high-performance room-temperature radiation detectors. To this end, thallium (Tl)-based materials represent an interesting category of detector materials thanks to their unique physical properties. In this regard, TlBr has been intensively studied as a radiation detector material over the past few years. Recently several other Tl-based compounds, e.g., TlPbI3, have also received strong interest in light of their potential for room-temperature radiation detection. In this chapter, we review the development of these Tl-based materials, used as either semiconductor radiation detectors or scintillator radiation detectors, and discuss the performance-determining factors including physical properties, growth processes, and defect control.