Novel Detectors for Astronomy and Nuclear Science

This project is a partnership between the Semiconductor Materials and Devices Laboratory at University of Sussex, and Micron Semiconductor Ltd. The project will develop
spectroscopic CVD single crystal diamond X-ray and electron detectors for use in high
temperature and intense radiation environments of relevance to STFC. The wide bandgap and radiation hardness of diamond makes it a promising material for use in harsh
environment applications where the cooling and shielding required for traditional silicon
detectors is difficult or impossible to accommodate due to limitations in available mass,
volume and power. Such applications include X-ray and electron spectrometers for space missions to extreme environments (e.g. Mercury, Jupiter), synchrotron science (e.g. beam monitoring), particle physics detectors, as well as spin off applications including energy (e.g. nuclear decommissioning), industrial process monitoring (e.g. machine condition
monitoring), and many more.