CVD Diamond Neutron Detectors with Pulse Shape Discrimination

Proliferation of nuclear weapons is a serious threat in the world today. One way to determine the presence of nuclear weapons is to detect neutrons emitted by special nuclear material(SNM) such as highly enriched uranium and weapons grade plutonium. The purpose of this project is to develop improved solid state neutron detectors from CVD diamond for homeland security applications. Phase I work will focus on optimizing electronic properties of CVD diamond films for neutron detection and fabricating and characterizing detectors. During Phase II we will develop a CVD diamond-based portable instrument for neutron detection and increase the neutron detection efficiency by scaling up the film thickness and area. Diamond has a high cross-section for fission neutron scattering and low sensitivity to gamma rays. Diamond also has a wide band gap for low noise, room temperature operation, high electron and hole mobility for fast response, and high displacement energy for high radiation hardness. Commercial applications include homeland security, nuclear and high-energy physics research, and medical dosimetry.