Fast time response detectors of alpha particles fabricated using CVD diamonds

Abstract

Abstract Diamond with extraordinary properties, such as fast response, and extremely high thermal conductivity, is an ideal choice for the next generation radiation detectors. In this paper, a radiation detector based on a single crystal CVD diamond (3 mm × 3 mm × 200 μm) with (100) orientation is proposed to detect α radiation. The detector employs gold films on the diamond as an electrical contact, and the origin-symmetric current-voltage characteristics demonstrated excellent Ohmic contact behavior. At an electric field of 0.4 V/μm, a current dark value of 4 nA was measured. The detector's pulse speed was tested using 5.486 MeV 241Am sources. The time response of the detector to α particles is fast, with a rise time of 260 ps, a fall time of 650 ps, and a pulse width of 1.6 ns. These findings indicate that the detector can be used as a sensor for α radiation.