CVD diamond detectors for radiation pulse characterisation

Polycrystalline diamond films deposited by microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (MPCVD) have been used for the fabrication of resistive photoconductors. Such detectors can be used to measure the intensity and the temporal shape of pulsed radiation such as IR, visible, UV and X-rays. The photodetector response times were characterised under fast Nd:Yag laser pulses (lambda = 266 nm, tau(L) = 30 ps at FWHM). The detector sensitivities were measured under both pulsed UV laser and steady-state X-ray excitations (40 keV). The detector response time strongly depends on the CVD diamond film structural and physical properties, i.e., the film growth conditions. They exhibit a response signal presenting full widths at half maximum down to about 100 ps and decay times down to about 130 ps. The diamond detector responses are compared to the responses measured on typical ultrafast photoconductors made from gallium arsenide pre-irradiated at 3x10(15) neutrons/cm(2) as well as from natural type IIa bulk diamond.