Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

8-2017

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Nuclear Engineering

Major Professor

Eric D. Lukosi

Committee Members

Stefan Spanier, Maik Lang, Lawrence Heilbronn

Abstract

First, the radiation detection charge collection properties have been determined for four diamonds with each diamond having received a fluence of 1 MeV neutron irradiation. Photoluminescence measurements were conducted at 150 K on the most irradiated diamond, revealing information about the energies of optically-active defect centers created by the neutron radiation. Then, two diamond plates, one single-crystal and the other polycrystalline, were processed using the bulk microstructural modification technique of femtosecond-pulsed laser machining. Deep reactive ion etching of the samples revealed that the laser-treated channels etch considerably faster than the surrounding diamond. Next, to create through-diamond vias (TDVs) in diamond plates, deep reactive ion etching techniques similar to those employed in the silicon industry for creating through-silicon vias were utilized. Two different diamonds, one optical-grade and one detector-grade, were used to establish a repeatable process for etching holes completely through diamond. A stainless steel foil was found to be an effective and robust etching mask for creating TDVs with an aspect ratio of 5.0. Electroplating was used to fill the TDVs with a highly conductive chromium metal. The TDVs were connected with interdigitated strips on the surface of the diamond, establishing for the first time a 3D diamond radiation detector with fully metal electrodes. Lastly, the spatial uniformity of the light emission produced by a relatively new scintillation crystal composed of potassium strontium iodide activated with europium has been explored.

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