| Abstract Scope |
Despite recent advances in many alternative energy fields, fusion energy remains the veritable holy grail of cheap stable clean energy. The primary goal of the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is to achieve stable fusion. While fusion has been achieved, significant optimization and improvements still need to be made. In order to improve operating parameters, a complete understanding of what occurs within the reactor and within the hohlraum is necessary. Due to the forces and time scales involved, current detectors are insufficient at fully capturing the fusion events. To address this, we seek to develop photodiode detectors composed of germanium. Compared to silicon, germanium offers superior x-ray stopping power and superior charge carrier mobilities, allowing for thinner and faster diodes. In our work we develop a model of the etching behavior of germanium, both doped and undoped, and then establish a compatible fabrication procedure. |