An ultra-thin diamond membrane as a transmission particle detector and vacuum window for external microbeams

V. Grilj (1) , N. Skukan (1) , M. Pomorski (2) , W. Kada (3) , N. Iwamoto (4) , T. Kamiya (4) , T. Ohshima (4) , M. Jakšić (1)

1 Rudjer Boskovic Institute [Zagreb]
2 LCD-LIST - Laboratoire Capteurs Diamant
3 Department of Computer Science [Gunma Univ.]
4 Japan Atomic Energy Agency

Several applications of external microbeam techniques demand a very accurate and controlled dose delivery. To satisfy these requirements when post-sample ion detection is not feasible, we constructed a transmission single-ion detector based on an ultra-thin diamond membrane. The negligible intrinsic noise provides an excellent signal-to-noise ratio and enables a hit-detection efficiency of close to 100%, even for energetic protons, while the small thickness of the membrane limits beam spreading. Moreover, because of the superb mechanical stiffness of diamond, this membrane can simultaneously serve as a vacuum window and allow the extraction of an ion microbeam into the atmosphere.

Domains: Micro and nanotechnologies/Microelectronics; Instrumentation and Detectors [physics.ins-det]; Nuclear Experiment [nucl-ex]

V. Grilj, N. Skukan, M. Pomorski, W. Kada, N. Iwamoto, et al.. An ultra-thin diamond membrane as a transmission particle detector and vacuum window for external microbeams. Applied Physics Letters, 2013, 103, pp.243106. ⟨10.1063/1.4833236⟩. ⟨cea-01792091⟩