Characterization of CVD Diamond Films Used for Radiation Detection.

Abstract

ABSTRACTDiamond films produced by microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique and used to fabricate radiation detectors have been characterized. The polycrystalline diamond films have a measured resistivity of 1012 Ω.cm and a carrier lifetime of about 530 ps. The carrier mobility - lifetime product depends on the density of photogenerated carriers. The carrier mobility decreases from 160 to 13 cm2/V.s for a carrier density increase from 2 × 1011 cm-3 to 3.7 × 1013 cm-3. The detector response to laser pulses (λ= 355, 532 and 1064 nm), X-ray flux (2.5 – 16 keV) and alpha particles (241Am, 5.49 MeV) has been investigated. The response speed of the detector is in the 100 ps range. X-ray photon flux measurements and alpha particle counting capabilities of the CVD diamond detectors are demonstrated.