Windowless radiation hard alpha and beta detector

In Phase I, we propose next generation of windowless radiation detectors which will be low power for long field use, compact, extremely rugged, cost effective, easy to use, and reliable. Field-portable radiation detectors are a widely used technology for defense, environmental monitoring, and industry applications dealing with radioactive sources. From nuclear weapon accident emergencies to routine monitoring for health and safety, having reliable, field ready equipment is essential for mission success. The need of new generation field-portable radiation detectors arises because of the lack of windowless and rugged field-portable alpha/beta detectors. Currently available alpha and beta radiation detectors in the market have serious fragilities. The fragility issues arise because of the required use of mylar window that can easily tear, rendering the instruments unusable. Thus, we propose a new generation of windowless radiation detectors which will be made with one of the most rugged semiconductor material available: diamond. This study will compare performance of three different designs of detectors based on diamond.