Natural diamond detectors (NDDs) being developed for the spectrometric appl
ications in tokamak fusion plasma experiments, have been used also for fast
x-ray flux measurements and time-of-flight (TOF) electron spectrometry in
laser beam-target interaction experiments on the CO2 laser installation TIR
(lambda = 10.6 mum, E = 80-95 J, tau similar to 14 ns). The magnetic field
created in front of the detector provided separation of the signals induce
d by x ray and electrons. The waveform of a NDD current response has been s
hown to provide an information about energy spectra of the particles genera
ted during laser beam-target interaction. Fast response time (<1 ns), low s
ensitivity to visible light and x rays, high radiation resistance, and 100%
charge collection efficiency of the type IIa diamond samples, make NDDs to
be the optimal choice for TOF spectrometry of charged fusion products in i
nertial confinement fusion experiments. (C) 2001 American Institute of Phys
ics.