Novel X‐Ray Detector with High Sensitivity and Low Detection Limit Based on Bandgap‐Engineered Chalcogenide Glass

ABSTRACT X‐ray detection technology has attracted increasing attention owing to its indispensable role in civilian, aerospace, military, and related applications. In this paper, the Ge–As–Se glass‐based X‐ray detectors are reported for the first time. Through compositional tuning of raw materials, the optical bandgap of Ge–As–Se glasses is strategically engineered, decreasing from 1.77 eV (Ge33As12Se55) to 1.66 eV (Ge10As40Se50). Remarkably, the carrier mobility lifetime products of Ge–As–Se glasses are effectively increased from 3.11 × 10 ‒3 cm 2 V ‒1 for Ge33As12Se55 to 4.24 × 10 ‒3 cm 2 V ‒1 for Ge10As40Se50 glass, which is beneficial for achieving an improved carrier transport. Most notably, the performance of Ge–As–Se glass X‐ray detectors is successfully optimized through bandgap engineering. At 40 keV X‐ray photon energy, the Ge10As40Se50 glass X‐ray detectors achieve a high sensitivity of 310 µC Gy air ‒1 cm ‒2 and an ultra‐low detection limit of 10.4 nGy air s ‒1 . Our research proposes an effective bandgap modulation strategy and provides a new X‐ray detection material with excellent application prospects for X‐ray detection fields.