Investigation of sCVD diamond detectors for low energy heavy-ion reactions

Abstract

The performance characteristics of single-crystalline diamond detectors at varying rates of heavy-ions below 50 MeV/u have been investigated. When tested with a 228Th source, the energy resolution of these detectors is better than 1.0% FWHM for 8.8 MeV α-particles. With a slight reduction in the energy resolution, simultaneous timing resolution of 314 ps has been achieved. Isotopic resolution has been achieved up to magnesium using a diamond telescope at low rates with a 20 MeV/u 20Ne + 12C reaction. At moderate rates of direct 7.5 MeV/u 78Kr, polarization effects are observed, though this effect can be diminished by increasing the applied voltage on the detector up to a limit. After an accumulated dose of 6.9 × 108 direct 78Kr particles transmitting through the detector, a degradation in the energy resolution of the 8.8 MeV peak from 1.6% to 5.3% is observed, indicating that permanent damage has been done to the detector.