Diamond photoconductors: operational lifetime and radiation hardness under deep-UV excimer laser irradiation

The first study of long term pulse exposure and fluence level on the performance of CVD diamond photodetectors subjected to 193 nm excimer laser radiation has been performed. Whilst diamond is considered ‘radiation hard’ it is shown that damage to detector performance can be provoked at laser fluence levels considerably below that required for graphitisation or ablation. However, the application of defect passivation treatments prior to device use acts to considerably reduce the damaging effect of the radiation, such that devices suitable for stable laser monioring applications can be realised.