Diamond's electronic properties are superior compared to currently used wide bandgap semiconductor materials. For electronic applications, diamond's high electron and hole mobility values enable high speed and high current operation, its low dielectric constant contributes to high frequency operation, its wide bandgap supports a high breakdown electric field and its high thermal conductivity supports high current operation. Diamond-based power and high frequency electronics will operate at power regimes not allowed by current semiconductor electronic devices. The impact is that the exceptional semiconductor properties of diamond will enable a new and more energy efficient class of higher-power, higher-voltage, and higher temperature electronic devices and will transform applications in transportation, manufacturing and energy sectors. To realize the potential of diamond for electronic diodes and transistors it is crucial that the electric field breakdown strength be large and that desired p-type and n-type doping profiles be achieved. The formation of doping profiles with desired variation in both the lateral and vertical directions are key to forming semiconductor junctions and controlling the electric field and breakdown voltages in diode and transistor devices. The goal of this project is to advance the scientific and engineering knowledge needed to form desired doping profiles for diamond electronic devices and to reduce the defects in diamond such that the full high voltage potential of diamond devices is achieved. An additional goal is to train graduate students and summer undergraduate student interns in diamond technology.
The formation of doping profiles in diamond material with desired variation in both the lateral and vertical directions are key to forming semiconductor junctions and controlling the electric field and breakdown voltages in diamond diode and transistor devices. The first objective of this project is develop the processes, know-how and understanding of forming controlled doping profiles in diamond for electronics by using ion implantation coupled with annealing. Diamond annealing will be studied at (1) high pressure and high temperature conditions and (2) metastable conditions of low pressure and high temperature with the surface of the diamond covered with hydrogen to prevent/slow the conversion of diamond to graphite. The second objective of this project is to develop processes, know-how and understanding to reduce point and dislocation defects in the diamond yielding electronic devices with higher breakdown voltages and lower leakage currents. The third objective is to develop the computation tools and diamond material properties understanding to predict doping profiles, to predict annealing process results for dopant activation, and to predict diamond electronic device characteristics.
