PE-CVD DIAMOND THIN FILMS FOR UV DETECTORS

THE RESEARCH ADDRESSED IN THIS PROPOSAL INVOLVES AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE USE OF DIAMOND THIN FILMS AS HIGH-PERFORMANCE UV DETECTORS, WHERE THE FILMS ARE PRODUCED BY AN INHERENTLY LOW-COST TECHNIQUE EMPLOYING PLASMA-ENHANCED CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION (PE-CVD) OF CARBON FROM CARBON-CONTAINING GASSES (E.G. METHANE). THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS RESEARCH IS FOUNDED ON THE TREMENDOUS POSSIBILITIES THAT DIAMOND OFFERS IN DEVELOPING LOW DARK CURRENT UV DETECTORS. DIAMOND'S PROPERTIES (E.G. EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH MODULUS AND HARDNESS, LOW COEFFICIENT OF THERMAL EXPANSION, HIGH THERMAL YET LOW ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY, RADIATION RESISTANCE, OPTICAL TRANSPARENCY FROM THE VISIBLE WELL INTO THE INFRARED, AND BLUE-GREEN LUMINESCENCE) MAKE VERY ATTRACTIVE ITS POTENTIAL USE AS A ROBUST UV DETECTOR. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROPOSED RESEARCH EFFORT IS TO EXPERIMENTALLY EVALUATE THE OPTOELECTRONIC PROPERTIES OF PE-CVD DIAMOND THIN FILMS, PARTICULARLY THEIR PHOTOCONDUCTIVITY IN THE UV AND BLUE-GREEN SPECTRAL REGIONS. AS A RESULT OF SUCH EFFORTS, WE WILL DETERMINE THE EXTENT TO WHICH DIAMOND THIN FILMS MAY BE USED AS PHOTOCONDUCTORS AND ASCERTAIN THE FEASIBILITY OF DIAMOND-BASED, UV DETECTORS.