  Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) detectors are having a major impact on the field
of hard X-ray astronomy. Without the need for cryogenic cooling they achieve
good spatial and energy resolutions over the broad energy range from 10 keV to
600 keV. In this paper, we briefly review the historical development of
detectors used in X-ray astronomy. Subsequently, we present an evaluation of
CZT detectors from the company Imarad. The standard 2x2x0.5 cm detectors,
contacted with 8x8 In pixels and an In cathode, exhibit FWHM energy resolutions
of 7 keV at 59 keV, and 10 keV at 662 keV. A direct measurement of the 662 keV
photopeak efficiency gives 67%. We have started a detailed study of the
performance of Imarad detectors depending on surface preparation, contact
materials, contact deposition, post-deposition detector annealing, and detector
passivation techniques. We present first results from contacting detectors with
Cr, Ag, Au, and Pt.
