CVD diamond in radiation detector

Citation

(1998), "CVD diamond in radiation detector", Sensor Review, Vol. 18 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/sr.1998.08718caf.002

CVD diamond in radiation detector

CVD diamond in radiation detector

Keywords Radiation, Sensors

An innovative radiation detector that incorporates a synthetic diamond substrate as an X- and gamma-ray detector has been developed by Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico. The instrument was developed under a cooperative research and development agreement with Crystallume, Santa Clara, California, which coats devices with diamond films through a chemical vapour deposition (CVD) process. The new detector, only about three inches long, is superior to other types because of its high sensitivity, high-dose rate detection and total-dose measurement capabilities, and high durability in severe radiation environments. Diamond has some properties that are superior to silicon, which is used in most solidstate radiation detectors. It is much more resistant than silicon to environmental conditions and radiation damage, and is relatively unreactive chemically.

Current silicon-based detectors become saturated with radiation at high dose rates, and because testing systems based on silicon are slow, they are not suitable for real-time use at high-dose rates. By comparison, the diamond-based detector can operate at several times the dose rate, which makes it suitable for high count rate measurements. The new detectors will enable the Department of Energy to improve its radiation monitoring activities for nuclear weapons verification, radiation effects measurements, inertial confinement fusion, accelerator calibration, and environmental remediation programmes.

Contact Ronald Wagner, Electronic and Electrochemical Materials and Devices, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, Tel: +1 505/667-2800.