X-RAY STUDIES OF SYNTHETIC RADIATION-COUNTING DIAMONDS

Synthetic diamonds with a nitrogen content less than 100 p.p.m. may be used as radiation dosimeters in a conduction counting mode, and are especially useful in medical applications. Crystal imperfections, revealed by X-ray diffraction topography, were found to affect counting performance. The best quality diamond gave the highest photocurrent (500 nA at 50 V mm-1 and 2.75 Gy min-1). Diamonds containing dislocations had lower photocurrents but had the advantage of shorter settling times (seconds rather than minutes). Placing contacts on two opposite cube (100) faces gave a higher photocurrent than on a pair of octahedral (111) faces. Higher photocurrents were also achieved when the majority of dislocations were perpendicular rather than parallel, to the electric field. Some recommendations for selecting synthetic diamonds for dosimeters are given.