Lead chalcogenide materials, with high atomic num bers for favorable detection efficiency and narrow band-gaps for fine energy resolution, hold promise as a medium for the detection of ionizing radiation. Their viability as a material basis for detectors is assessed by characterizing p-type lead telluride (PbTe) in single crystal form. Following mechanical polishing and chemical etching of the material, metallic electrodes were deposited and current-voltage (I-V) and capacitance-voltage (C V) characteristics of the material were investigated at both room and liquid nitrogen temperatures. High charge carrier concentrations were calculated and shallow depletion layers were developed. Alpha particles, from an 241 Am source were impinged upon the PbTe crystal, and an energy spectrum was obtained which demonstrated the positive response of the material to the incident quanta.