CVD Diamond History
Introduction to DDL
Properties of Diamond
DDL Proprietary Contact TechnologyDetector Applications
BDD Sensors
Kevin Oliver CEOAlex Brown Sales & Marketing

20 May, 2010

Diamond Detectors Limited

Diamond Detectors Ltd

Diamond Detectors Ltd

Diamond Detectors

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CVD Diamond History

Diamond Detectors Ltd

Diamond Detectors Ltd

Diamond as a detector is not a new technology and as early as 1920's highly selected natural
diamonds were being used for UV detectors. The recent commercial available of highpurity single crystal diamond with excellent bulk uniformity is however a newdevelopment.
1920Diamond demonstrates UV response
1940
Diamond used to detect ionising nuclear radiation1950 – 60 Interactions of Alpha and high energy fast electrons with diamond studied
1962
Photoconductivity of Natural Diamond investigated1970
Advances made in forming electrical contacts to diamond
1980
Commercial x‐ray dosimeters for medical applications
Early 90’s Advances made in quality of polycrystalline CVD diamond (pCVD)
pCVD recommended for use in Super Conducting Super Collider
Employed as commercial solar blind UV detector.
Late 90’s Beam position monitors for synchrotrons
Charge Collection distance > 200 µ appropriate
Many high energy physics detector applications.
2000
DeBeers Industrial Diamond patents manufacturing procedure for High purity single crystal
diamond with superior electronic characteristics
2002
DeBeers Industrial Diamond forms Element Six
2006
E6 perfects volume manufacturing process for electronic grade” materials
2007
DDL formed by Element Six
2008
DDL patents metallisation development
DDL achieves surface polishing improvements <1nm roughness
DDL 50% acquired by BAE Systems

20 May, 2010

Diamond Detectors Limited2

Introduction to DDL

June 2007, DDL Moves into new office, Poole, DorsetDiamond Detectors Ltd

Diamond Detectors LtdPress release Thursday 3rd May 2007
“Element Six Spins Out New Company to Develop Diamond Detectors…….

2008, BAE systems acquires 50% share in DDL

20 May, 2010

Diamond Detectors Limited

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Diamond Detectors Ltd

Diamond Detectors focus includes...
•

Diamond Wide Band Gap Detectors. (solid stateionizing chamber)•

Diamond Sensors (Electro-chemical and Bioapplications).

Diamond Detectors Ltd

High Tech Application of DiamondIntroduction to DDL

Concept ‐ Design

20 May, 2010

Diamond Detectors Ltd

Diamond Detectors Ltd“From Concept through Design & Prototype to Manufacture”

Manufactured Devices

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5Introduction to DDLCharacterisation

Typical process specifications :‐Polycrystalline standard polish Ra < 20nm
Polycrystalline detector polish Ra < 12nm
Polycrystalline Super polishRa < 5nm
Single crystal detector polish Ra < 1nm

20 May, 2010

Diamond Detectors Ltd

Diamond Detectors Ltd“From Concept through Design & Prototype to Manufacture”

Electronic / Device Characterisation

Diamond Detectors Limited

6Properties of Diamond

20 May, 2010

Electronic
OpticalElectrical
DiamondThermal

Diamond Detectors Limited

Diamond Detectors Ltd

Diamond Detectors LtdBroad transmission spectrum
Highest thermal conductivity
Highest resistance to thermal shock
Low thermal expansion coefficientHigh chemical (bio) inertness
Highest Young’s modulus
Highest Knoop hardness
High tensile strength
Good electrical insulator
Good electrical conductor (doped)
Low dielectric constant
Low dielectric loss
Wide electronic band gap
High electronic mobility

Mechanical
Chemical7

Properties of Diamond

Intrinsic Properties
Radiation Hardness
Wide band gap 5.5eV (no thermallygenerated noise)
Low Z (tissue equivalent)
Low energy absorption
High thermal conductivity
High Hole and Electron MobilityDetector Properties
High sensitivity
Good spatial and temporal resolution
achievable
Low leakage currents and stable(< 0.01pA / pixel)
Low capacitance

20 May, 2010

Device Advantages
Intrinsically simple device (no pnjunction required)can fabricate robust, compact devices
High temperature operation (no needfor cooling)
Applications Include:
High Energy Physics
Civil Nuclear
Medical Therapy / Dosimetry (X‐ray &Particle Therapies)
Synchrotrons and Cyclotrons
Radiation Monitoring (nuclear, medicaland oil & gas)
Deep UV (< 240nm)

Diamond Detectors Limited

Diamond Detectors LtdDiamond Detectors Ltd

Diamond radiation detectors are able to detect deep UV photons, X‐rays, gamma rays, electrons, alphaparticles, charged ions and neutrons, with a dynamic range in energies spanning from 5.5 eV up toGeV of cosmic rays.
Since the bandgap of diamond is 5.5 eV this leads into a negligible dark current noise at room
temperature with no need for cooling.
Metal diamond interfaces play a key role in the performance of the detectors as different metallization
techniques lead to either “ohmic” or Schottky electrical contacts.

8Properties of Diamond

20 May, 2010

Diamond Detectors Limited

Diamond Detectors Ltd

Diamond Detectors Ltd

Intrinsic Material Properties

9Intensity Modulated
Radiation Therapy
Focussed Photon
Beam Profile

Before treatment of patient:Diamond Detectors Ltd

Diamond Detectors Ltd

Applications
Example Application ofEL SC CVD Diamond:• Dummy run with detector• Detector placed in tissue equivalentmaterial to assess beam profile• Detector must be moved several times
to collect enough information‐ an array of detectors would be ideal

Courtesy of Scanditronix

20 May, 2010

Treatment:• Patient typically receives 3 treatments,
each from a different angle of entry

Diamond Detectors Limited

10Applications

Higher sensitivity of High Purity SC CVDD
Smaller devices
Improved spatial resolution
E6 HP SC CVD
diamondCommercial Silicon
dosimeter

Air‐filled Ionisationchamber

Sensitivity (nC/Gy)

240

74

7.5

Active Detector Volume(mm3)

0.3

0.2

120

Diamond Detectors Ltd

Diamond Detectors Ltd

X‐ray Sensitivity Comparison for Different
Dosimeter Types

Data for samples irradiated in a 6MV photon beam with a 10cm x 10cm field at a source‐to‐detector distance of 100cm, courtesy ofScanditronix

20 May, 2010

Diamond Detectors Limited

11Applications

Sample Type

Diamond Detectors Ltd

Diamond Detectors Ltd

X‐ray Sensitivity for Different Diamond Types
Dose Rate(Gy/min)

Signal(nC/Gy/mm3)

Priming(Gy)E6 High Purity SC CVDD

0.53080E6 Standard purity SC CVDD

226

Commercially available
natural diamond dosimeter

2483

8Data for samples irradiated with 5MV X‐ray beam courtesy of Scanditronix

High Purity SC CVD diamond gave ~6x signal ofcommercially available natural diamond dosimeter

20 May, 2010

Diamond Detectors Limited12Nuclear Applications

Applications for CVD Diamondα / β in airα spectroscopy
α / β contamination
Neutron
X‐RaySolid State Ion Chamber

20 May, 2010

Diamond Detectors Limited

Diamond Detectors Ltd

Diamond Detectors Ltd

X‐ray, Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Neutron radiation detectors fordose / spectroscopy applications in nuclear power andreprocessing plants

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Nuclear Applications

Pu-2395.159 MeV

Am-241
5.486
MeV

Cm-244
5.804
MeV

Energy resolution 0.9%
FWHM ~50 keV

Diamond Detectors Ltd

Diamond Detectors Ltd

Application Alpha‐Spectroscopy
Mixed Nuclide alpha Source Spectrum
High Purity single‐crystal Diamond Detector

J. Dueñas et al., Department of Applied Physics GEM, University of Huelva, Spain

20 May, 2010

Diamond Detectors Limited

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Nuclear Applications

400ps

Diamond Detectors Ltd

Diamond Detectors Ltd

Alpha Particle Pulse

J. Dueñas et al., Department of Applied Physics GEM, University of Huelva, Spain

20 May, 2010

Diamond Detectors Limited15

Nuclear Applications

Thermal neutrons

Slow neutrons (1-100 eV)epithermal neutrons (100 eV-100keV)

25 meV

1-2 MeV

fast neutrons (100keV- 1Mev)

ultrafast neutrons (>1MeV)

5.8 MeV

Energy range
FastFission neutrons
12C (n, α)threshold

14 MeV
fast neutrons

Thermal neutrons

Precise fluency
MonitoringHigh n/γ selecivity

Diamond Detectors Ltd

Diamond Detectors Ltd

Application Neutron detection using diamond …

Fusion neutrons
or confinment plasmas

Elastic scattering
OK at high neutron fluencies
Typ. 1nA/cm2 @ 108n.cm-2.s-1
in a 100µm thick diamond layer

temporal metrology (TOF),
Spectroscopy,
Nuclear reactors
Fluency monitoring
Profile Monitoring etc

20 May, 2010

Nuclear reactors
Essentially when small size devices are requirede.g. propulsion reactors

Diamond Detectors Limited

Tokamaks,Rochester,
Laser Mega-Joule (LMJ)

16Wide electrochemical window
Extremely low background current.
Bio-Compatible (non-fouling)Very stable surface (Chemically inert)
Varied surface terminations possible
Mechanically robust

20 May, 2010

Diamond Detectors Ltd

Diamond Detectors Ltd

Application Diamond Sensors
Bio‐and Chemical Sensing

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Application Diamond Sensors•PH-Sensors•Temperature-Sensors•Conductivity•Replacement of Mercury Electrodes (Mercury ban widens)

Diamond Detectors Ltd

Diamond Detectors Ltd•Electro-chemical sensors (MEA, trace element analysis)(Mining, Automotive, Medical, Food, Water, Environmental,Emissions …..)Next Generation (addressable MEA)
under consideration
20 May, 201018

High quality electronic grade and electro‐chemical grade single
and polycrystalline materials are now readily available.

DDL has made significant investment to ensure we have theability and tools to manufacture diamond prototypes leading tostandard products for a range of applications including highenergy physics, medical, civil nuclear and oil and gas.

DDL will continue to provide design, development andmanufacturing expertise to our customers.

DDL will continue to support the development of diamondapplications with the aim to provide a range of standard productswith datasheets.

20 May, 2010

Diamond Detectors Limited

Diamond Detectors Ltd

Diamond Detectors LtdConclusion

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20 May, 2010

Diamond Detectors Limited

Diamond Detectors Ltd

Diamond Detectors Ltd

Thank you20