PE-CVD DIAMOND THIN FILM FOR RECYCLABLE UV SWITCH

THE RESEARCH ADDRESSED IN THIS PROPOSAL INVOLVES AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE USE OF DIAMOND THIN FILMS AS SOLID STATE OPTICAL SWITCHES WHERE THE FILMS ARE PRODUCED BY AN INHERENTLY LOW-COST TECHNIQUE EMPLOYING PLASMA-ENHANCED CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION (PE-CVD) OF CARBON-CONTAINING GASES (E.G., METHANE). THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROPOSED RESEARCH EFFORT IS TO EVALUATE EXPERIMENTALLY THE OPTOELECTRIC PROPERTIES OF PE-CVD DIAMOND THIN FILMS WITH RESPECT TO ITS PHOTOCONDUCTIVITY IN THE UV AND BLUE-GREEN SPECTRAL REGIONS. AS A RESULT OF SUCH EFFORTS WE WILL DETERMINE THE EXTEND TO WHICH DIAMOND THIN FILMS MAY BE USED AS PHOTOCONDUCTORS AND ASCERTAIN THE FEASIBILITY OF DIAMOND BASED, UV-DRIVEN SWITCHES.