Diamond radiation sensors prepared by pulsed glow discharge CVD

In this work we present the performances of polycrystalline diamond sensors grown with a chemical vapour deposition (CVD) proprietary method. The standard characterization on these samples have assessed their high crystalline quality. The collection response to fast (1 MeV) β particle are presented. The efficiency seems limited mainly by a high concentration of grain boundaries, since the material obtained results very pure, from ESR and Raman characterization. A high fluence of neutron can remove some traps, increasing the dynamic response and the stability of the samples used as UV detectors in the 300-200 nm range. The methods aimed to improve the present quality is also briefly discussed together with the capability of the CVD system to grow single-crystal specimens.