Chapter 19 Diamond-Based Radiation Detectors for Applications in Highly Corrosive Solutions and High-Radiation Fields

Publication date: 2017
Source:Materials Under Extreme Conditions
Author(s): D. Jain, J. Nuwad, N. Manoj, V. Sudarsan
Diamond, with its name derived from the Greek word adamas (meaning unconquerable/invincible), is a unique material with potential use in several applications. In nature, it occurs deep down in the Earth's crust in regions of high temperatures and high pressures with limited availability and nonreproducible quality. It is also synthesized industrially using high-temperature, high-pressure methods or chemical vapor deposition (CVD) methods. CVD methods in particular have excellent control over the quality of diamond, and it is possible to synthesize pure/doped diamonds using simple gaseous precursors like H2 and suitable carbon source (CH4, CO2, C2H4, etc.) at low pressures. Both single crystals and polycrystalline diamonds of desired quality can be routinely synthesized. CVD method has therefore brought about a revolution in this field and expanded the development of diamond-based technologies. With its inherent physicochemical properties, diamond is an excellent host matrix for radiation detection purposes. It offers the best performance potential especially under extreme operational conditions such as high temperatures, corrosive environments, intense radiation fields, fast radiation events, etc. CVD diamonds have immense application in this area. The present chapter outlines the potential of CVD diamond as a host matrix for radiation detection under extreme conditions and gives description of diamond-based alpha particle detectors for use in highly corrosive chemical environments, with special reference to estimation of actinides in acidic liquids. Results obtained in our research group on development of such detectors are also summarized. Essential factors that influence performance of diamond-based radiation detectors and possible methods to address them are also detailed.



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