CVD-diamond detectors for real-time beam profile measurements

One- and two-dimensional detector arrays were realized on 270 mum thick 10times10 mm² CVD-diamond samples. The high resistivity value of diamond specimens in the dark allowed the realization of pixel-detectors based on a sandwich contact structure able to work in a photoconductive mode. Each pixel photocurrent was conditioned by a dedicated readout electronics composed by a high sensitive integrator and a Sigma-Delta ADC converter. The overall 500 mus conversion time afforded a data acquisition rate up to 2 kSPS. The fast photoresponse of the diamond specimen in the nanosecond time regime allowed to use the proposed device for excimer-laser beam diagnostics. Moreover, the diamond solar-blindness would guarantee high performance of devices as UV beam profile meters also under high intensity background illumination.