DIAMOND ATOMIC LAYER EPITAXY

DIAMOND HAS EXTREMELY HIGH THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY, A LARGE BANDGAP, HIGH CARRIER MOBILITIES AND LOW NEUTRON AND IONIZING RADIATION DISLOCATION CROSS SECTIONS. THESE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES MAKE IT AN IDEAL MATERIAL FROM WHICH TO CONSTRUCT ELECTRONIC DEVICES FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE, HIGH FREQUENCY AND/OR HIGH RADIATION APPLICATIONS. ONE PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT APPLICATION OF DIAMOND LIES IN SUPERLATTICE STRUCTURES WITH OTHER HIGH BANDGAP MATERIALS SUCH AS CUBIC BORON NITRIDE (CBN). DIAMOND: CBN STRUCTURES MAY USED TO FABRICATE ADVANCED HIGH MOBILITY ELECTRON TRANSISTORS (HEMTS) AS WELL AS NOVEL PHOTONIC DEVICES. ATOMIC LAYER EPITAXY (ALE) AFFORDS THE BEST MEANS OF FABRICATING SUCH STRUCTURES, AND HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED FOR CBN BUT IS UNKNOWN FOR DIAMOND. THEREFORE, IN PHASE I WE SHALL SURVEY AND EVALUATE SEVERAL PROMISING CANDIDATE DIAMOND ALE PROCESSES USING OUR UNIQUE IN-SITU DIAGNOSTICS UNDER GROWTH CONDITIONS. THIS EFFORT IS HIGHLY COMPLEMENTARY TO OUR ONGOING DIAMOND RESEARCH, AND WILL USE INSTRUMENTATION IN HAND OR ALREADY UNDER CONSTRUCTION UNDER A SEPARATELY FUNDED EFFORT. AS SUCH, WE CAN EXPLORE THIS OPPORTUNITY RAPIDLY WITH MINIMAL EXPENSE AND RISK DURING PHASE I. PHASE II AND III EFFORTS WILL CONCENTRATE ON DEVELOPING A COMMERCIAL INSTRUMENT AND PROCESS FOR FORMING DEVICE QUALITY MATERIAL BY ALE.