Diamond detectors for fast neutron irradiation experiments

Single-crystal diamond detectors (SDD) were tested in view of their use as neutron beam monitors at fast neutron irradiation facilities. First results on time of flight (ToF) and energy resolution obtained at the ISIS pulsed neutron source and at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) with SDD of different thicknesses are presented. The peculiar double pulse structure of the ISIS proton beam does not seem to prevent SDD to be used for deriving the neutron energy spectrum from the measured ToF in the energy range up to 20 MeV. Further developments aimed at full exploitation of the biparametric (time and pulse height) output of the device are discussed.