Diamond-based photosensitive matrix elements for the UV range

The design principles and the production technology for diamond-based photosensitive matrix devices operating in the UV range are considered. The spectral and I–V characteristics and the dark and leakage currents of linear (2 × 64) and matrix (64 × 64) photodetectors are measured at various applied voltages. The possibility of creating such structures with a relatively high sensitivity is demonstrated for the first time. It is shown that the surface leakage currents play the dominant role in limiting the photosensitivity of the structures under study. A significant spread of the dark current and the photocurrent of matrix photodetectors based on natural diamond is revealed. Such a spread is related to the defect-structure heterogeneity.