3D diamond detector technology and radiation hardness studies

The requirements for particle detectors in current and future experiments and applications, from position sensitive detectors for high energy physics experiments to dosimetry for radiation therapy, become increasingly demanding. Diamond as a material is intrinsically radiation harder due to the higher atomic bonding strength compared to conventional Silicon.

The project aims to develop a novel particle detector technology that is based on diamond as a detector material and in-bulk electrodes in the form of graphitic wires to reach ultra-high levels of radiation tolerance. The concept of in-bulk electrodes has been deployed previously in Silicon detectors and has proven to raise the radiation hardness by one order of magnitude. Since the increase in radiation hardness is due to the geometrical arrangement of electrodes and independent of the material, the same principle is applicable to diamond. This will consequently lead to a technology providing particle detectors with unprecedented radiation hardness, benefitting key projects in the STFC roadmap, namely in the areas of Particle Physics for experiments at the energy frontier, and for diagnostic devices in the area of radiation therapy for cancer treatment.

The success of the project will be demonstrated by the proof that 3D diamond detectors can be made in a reliable process and that the radiation hardness meets the expectations.

This project will bring together researchers from different disciplines, stimulating exchange and collaboration among them, to push the frontier of radiation detector applications. Collaborations with universities, research organisations and companies specialised in diamond production and sensor technology will be reinforced, and new opportunities for synergy amongst collaborators will be exploited.

The impact of this project can be summarised in the following categories:

1. Specific benefits for future STFC projects
The project is aimed at developing detector technology for two principle STFC project areas - particle physics at the energy frontier, and medical physics. These are important parts of the future STFC programme with potential for high impact. The use of ultra-radiation hard detectors in particle physics could enable new designs of vertex detectors with direct consequences to the new physics discovery potential, addressing fundamental questions about the universe and the structure of matter. In the medical field the same technology can greatly improve the accuracy of dosimetry determination in oncology and help to reduce the risks associated to radiation therapy.
There are further possible applications in areas with similar performance requirements, e.g. flux monitoring in fusion reactors or nuclear waste processing facilities.

2. Enhancing international collaborations
The project will involve collaborations between universities and research organisations within the UK and internationally. All efforts will be made to strengthen the already existing links to international collaborators and industrial partners and to build new links potential partners. This will be realised by participating in and hosting of collaboration meetings, and organising open meetings, e.g. in the framework of Institute of Physics topical meetings.

Manchester is member of the international CERN RD42 collaboration (diamond detector development for LHC detectors) and the ADAMAS collaboration (Advanced Diamond Assemblies, GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Darmstadt), and will be exploring the possibilities to intensify the collaboration of member institutes interested in 3D diamond technologies to profit from synergies and to pool resources. Several institutes and also companies have expressed their interest in this technology, and discussions are on-going as to possible collaborative work.

3. Improving career prospects
The project will provide training opportunities at the technology frontier of particle detectors, with access to expert knowledge through our collaborative network with internationally recognised institutes in the field. While only one post-doctoral researcher will be recruited, we expect that a number of students and collaborators will be involved in this project. The investigators take on new students for BSc, MPhys or PhD projects every year, of which many will be working directly with the investigators on the research project or related research. The close interaction of the students with the investigators and international collaborators (RD42, ADAMAS) will give them excellent knowledge transfer opportunities, and will provide them with a deep understanding of the field and it's context at the international level.

Furthermore, workshops and collaboration meetings held with other University and with participation of industrial partners will provide networking opportunities, helping the students to gain visibility in the field through presentations and discussions, and will enhance their career prospects in this area.