  Identification of high momentum hadrons at the future EIC is crucial, gaseous
RICH detectors are therefore viable option. Compact collider setups impose to
construct RICHes with small radiator length, hence significantly limiting the
number of detected photons. More photons can be detected in the far UV region,
using a windowless RICH approach. QE of CsI degrades under strong irradiation
and air contamination. Nanodiamond based photocathodes (PCs) are being
developed as an alternative to CsI. Recent development of layers of
hydrogenated nanodiamond powders as an alternative photosensitive material and
their performance, when coupled to the THick Gaseous Electron Multipliers
(THGEM)-based detectors, are the objects of an ongoing R\&D. We report about
the initial phase of our studies.

Instrumentation and Detectors;High Energy Physics - Experiment;Nuclear Experiment