Large bandgap mercury and lead compounds for nuclear particle detection

Abstract Research has been done on mercury and lead compounds with emphasis on better detection efficiency (due to higher absorption coefficients) and room temperature application (due to large bandgaps) Crystal growth and detection properties were studied. PbO and PbI 2 were used as alpha particle spectrometers (resolution about 30%) and as gamma quanta detectors (no resolution). HgI 2 was used as a gamma spectrometer (resolution about 10%).