Laser-plasma X-ray detection by using fast 4H-SiC interdigit and ion collector detectors

Non-equilibrium plasma generated by nanosecond pulsed laser are characterized bysolid state 4H-SiC interdigit Schottky diodes and by a large area ion collector detector, both connectedin time-of-flight configuration. Plasma generated by irradiation of different metallic targetsthrough a pulsed laser with a 1010 W/cm2intensity and a 200 mJ energy, where monitored. In thispaper we demonstrate that the interdigit 4H-SiC diode is able to detect ultraviolet radiation andsoft X-rays, with energy of the order of 20 eV with very short rise time, of a few nanoseconds, andhigh efficiency, comparable with the performance of traditional large area ion collectors. Thanks totheir millimetric size, solid state 4H-SiC detectors are good candidates for the fabrication of arraysystems for the spatial distribution measurement of plasma radiation. Moreover, owing to the theirhigh efficiency and the interdigit geometry of front electrode, 4H-SiC diodes here proposed aresuitable also for low energy ions detection