This work reports on the realization and test of a compact beam-profiling system for UV and X-ray sources, based on polycrystalline CVD diamond detectors. Multistrip and pixel structures have been used for 1-D and 2-D photodetectors, respectively. A dedicated read-out electronic circuitry has been designed and used to independently sample the signal produced by each strip (or pixel), enabling a real-time beam profile reconstruction.

Secondary electron emission from diamond films is studied as a function of the primary electron beam energy and bulk material properties. A formulation of a simple model of the secondary electron emission coefficient, as a function of the primary electron beam energy, has been found to be helpful in defining physical criteria able to guide the optimization of the diamond film electron emission performance. The secondary electron mean escape depth deduced from the model is indeed related to the density of defects in the material and represents the main factor in determining the low energy secondary electron yield. These results are supported by Raman spectroscopy measurements, indicating a lower graphitic content and a higher crystalline quality of the diamond phase in films showing better secondary electron and photoemission yields. We demonstrate that a diamond film, acting as a stable and proportional electron multiplier, can be used as a converter of backscattered electrons into secondary electrons in scanning electron microscopy. It will be shown that the use of a diamond film converter is suitable to improve the signal to noise ratio of images providing an enhanced compositional contrast.

A diamond detector structure for uniform and efficient collection of photogenerated carriers in the ultraviolet spectral range is presented. The device operating principle is based on the contemporary collection of both photogenerated carriers in the bulk, and photoelectrons emitted from the diamond surface. A three-electrode device structure is used, having dual side contacts on the diamond surfaces, and a separated third electrode in the vacuum. A large improvement of the detector responsivity, as well as a compensation of the efficiency losses usually occurring for highly absorbed radiation is achieved, while keeping comparable wavelength selectivity.

Polycrystalline diamond detectors with energy resolving capability of the impinging beam were realized and tested by using a miniature pyroelectric x-ray pulse generator. Microstrip structures were defined by photolithography aimed to reduce parasitic capacitances and to perform characterization measurements in a sandwich configuration. Leakage currents as low as 20pA at 500V were measured on a 270μm thick device. Pulse height distributions were carried out around TaLα (8.14keV) and CuKα (8.05keV) characteristic lines of the source. Energy resolution at 200V was found equal to 9% with an increase to 11% at 500 V. When the bias was increased to the maximum voltage the sample shows an Ohmic behavior.