Gas electron multiplier based on laser-perforated CVD diamond film: First tests

TL;DR

This paper reports the initial testing of a novel gas electron multiplier made from radiation-hard polycrystalline CVD diamond film, aiming to improve detector durability and performance in high-energy physics applications.

Contribution

First fabrication and testing of a GEM device using a free-standing polycrystalline CVD diamond film as the dielectric material.

Findings

Successful fabrication of diamond-based GEM prototype.

Initial tests demonstrate functional electron multiplication.

Potential for enhanced radiation hardness in detectors.

Abstract

Gas electron multiplier (GEM) is widely used in modern gas detectors of ionizing radiation in experiments on high-energy physics at accelerators and in other fields of science. Typically the GEM devices are based on a dielectric foil with holes and electrodes on both sides. GEMs made by radiation-hard dielectrics or wide band-gap semiconductors are desirable for some applications. The results of the first tests of the gas electron multiplier made of radiation-hard materials, such as polycrystalline CVD diamond with a thickness of 100 microns is described. Here we report on fabrication of GEM based on free-standing polycrystalline CVD diamond film and its first test.