SECONDARY-ELECTRON EMISSION PATTERNING OF DIAMOND WITH HYDROGEN AND OXYGEN PLASMAS

Secondary electron emission patterning of single crystal diamond surfa ces with hydrogen and oxygen plasma treatments was demonstrated. Hydro gen plasma treated regions were much brighter than the oxygen terminat ed regions. Results of atomic force microscopy confirmed that the obse rved contrast is not topographical. Several other possible negative el ectron affinity (or low positive electron affinity) materials such as chemical vapor deposited (CVD) diamond, aluminum nitride, and tetrahed rally bonded amorphous carbon (t(x)a-C1-x) were also investigated. Fai nt image contrast (patterning) was also observed from polycrystalline CVD diamond and polycrystalline aluminum nitride films; however, no co ntrast at all was obtained from tetrahedrally bonded amorphous carbon (t(x)a-C1-x) films. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics.