Oxide Lu2TeO6 single crystals for X-ray detection with an ultralow detection limit

Abstract

Semiconductor-based X-ray detectors have become critical in medical diagnosis, industrial inspections, and scientific research. The recently reported metal oxide single-crystal materials have demonstrated low detection limits and outstanding stability. Herein, Lu₂TeO₆ is rationally designed and successfully grown as a novel X-ray detection material using the top-seeded solution growth (TSSG) technique. Due to the high valence and heavy ions Lu³⁺ and Te⁶⁺, Lu₂TeO₆ exhibits a high X-ray attenuation coefficient and negligible current drift. The (100) and (001) wafers of the Lu₂TeO₆ single crystal exhibited ultrahigh resistivities of 9 × 10¹⁴ Ω cm and 1.09 × 10¹⁵ Ω cm and high μτ values of 5.69 × 10⁻⁴ cm² V⁻¹ and 5.62 × 10⁻⁴ cm² V⁻¹, respectively. The detectors demonstrated low, stable dark current drifts of 3.42 × 10⁻⁸ nA cm⁻¹ s⁻¹ V⁻¹ and 2.42 × 10⁻⁸ nA cm⁻¹ s⁻¹ V⁻¹ for X-ray detection, achieving high sensitivities of 291.93 μC Gy⁻¹ cm⁻² and 248.65 μC Gy⁻¹ cm⁻² and ultralow detection limits of 23.5 nGy s⁻¹ and 15.8 nGy s⁻¹. These results reveal the potential application of Lu₂TeO₆ single crystals in X-ray detection and propose a promising perspective to design X-ray detection materials with high performance.