PHOTOCONDUCTIVE PROPERTIES OF THIN-FILM DIAMOND

The origin of photoconductivity within diamond is briefly reviewed. Se veral applications Cor thin film diamond formed by chemical vapour dep osition (CVD) could be realised if the extrinsic photoconductive respo nse could be controlled, including the fabrication of deep UV photodet ectors which are ''blind'' to visible light. It is possible to reduce the extrinsic photoconductive response otherwise apparent in CVD films by a combination of careful device design and well chosen post fabric ation gaseous treatments; the nature of the treatments used and how th ey may be affecting defects within the diamond are discussed. Highly s ensitive deep UV photodetectors call be produced in this manner, exhib iting external quantum efficiencies of greater than 500%. (C) 1997 Els evier Science S.A.