Lead Iodide Crystals as Input Material for Radiation Detectors

Lead iodide is an important inorganic solid for fundamental research and possible technological applications and is con-sidered to be a potential room temperature nuclear radiation detector. In lead iodide the phenomenon of polytypism is posing an interesting problem of phase transformations amongst its various polytypic modifications. The transforma-tions have also been observed even when the crystals are stored for few months. It causes deterioration in functioning of PbI2 devices. Taking into account the known structures of PbI2 and the data available on the mode of growth and stor-age of crystals, it has been concluded that purified melt grown crystals of PbI2 are the best suited for nuclear radiation detectors