Welcome! I am a PhD graduate from the Warwick Diamond Science & Technology Centre. Specifically, I studied the use of single-crystal diamond as an X-ray detector for synchrotron light sources.

Synchrotrons are machines which produce highly intense, focussed beams of X-rays for scientific research. The goal of my research is to produce 'transparent' diagnostic instrumentation that can detect the position and shape of these intense X-ray beams, but while absorbing as few of the X-ray photons as possible so as not to interfer with the beams themselves. You can learn more about how synchrotrons work here.

My PhD firstly explored novel methods of measuring the X-ray beam shape using all-carbon diamond detectors. Traditional radiation detectors use layers of surface metallisation sandwiching a detector material like silicon or germainium crystals. The outcome of my work is an diamond detector that uses extremely low-absorption graphite in place of the surface metal. The result is a detector with significantly less X-ray absorption than traditional detectors, but still with the sensitivity to accurately measure the X-ray beam position to sub-micron resolution.

Secondly, my research developed a novel read-out technique that enabled all pixels from the diamond detector to be read out simultaneously at 100 frames per second. This technique eliminates the 'rolling shutter' effect that occurs when pixels are read out one row at a time.

Research Interests

Broadly, my interests lie in synchrotron light source beamline instrumentation, diagnostics, radiation detectors, and diamond technology. Specifically, I am working on:

• Developing new synchrotron beamline instrumentation
• Synchrotron beamline design and X-ray beam stability
• Solid state detector theory
• Diamond semiconductors
• Laser fabrication of graphitic structures in diamond

Acknowledgements and Disclaimers

All photos of Diamond Light Source are reproduced with permission, and all logos are used courtesy of their rightful owners. All opinions are my own.

Chris Bloomer

 

c dot bloomer at warwick dot ac dot uk

Diamond Science &
Technology Centre
University of Warwick
Gibbet Hill Road
Coventry
CV4 7AL
UK
 

 

 

chris dot bloomer at diamond dot ac dot uk

Diamond Light Source Ltd
Diamond House
Harwell Science &
Innovation Campus
Didcot
OX11 0DE
UK