X-Ray Beam Monitoring with Thin PIN Diamond

Arizona State University is a world research leader in doped diamond layer growth and diamond electronics devices and applications. Consequently, working with ASU means Advent Diamond will have access to some of the best diamond reactors as well as access to an extensive knowledge base in the field. The ASU team has extensive research on diamond radiation detectors based on pin diodes which will be directly applicable to this project. ASU will collaborate with Advent Diamond on the development of a new generation of diamond pin x-ray detectors. This project will develop pin structures on polycrystalline diamond appropriate for the x-ray detector applications. The ASU team will develop processes to deposit doped diamond layers on polycrystalline diamond substrates with a goal of developing a large area, low cost, diamond x-ray detector. ASU will deposit heavily boron doped p-type diamond layers, and heavily phosphorus doped n-type diamond layers on polished polycrystalline diamond substrates. The electrical resistance and contact resistance will be determined for standard Ti/Pt/Au contacts. The deposition process will be optimized for uniformity and thickness, and the electrical contact and junction properties. It is anticipated that the processes developed here will enable highly efficient, large area diamond x-ray detectors not currently available from other sources. These new detectors will address a range of scientific and medical applications.