Boron–oxygen complex yields n-type surface layer in semiconducting diamond
At a Glance
Section titled “At a Glance”| Metadata | Details |
|---|---|
| Publication Date | 2019-04-01 |
| Journal | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |
| Authors | Xiaobing Liu, Xin Chen, David J. Singh, Richard A. Stern, Jinsong Wu |
| Institutions | University of Alberta, University of Missouri |
| Citations | 104 |
Abstract
Section titled “Abstract”Significance Diamond is a uniquely attractive wide-bandgap semiconductor for future electronic devices where its remarkable physical properties may enable switches, transistors, and diodes for extreme applications. Whereas p-type semiconducting diamond is well developed with boron doping, the synthesis of n-type diamond, required to complete purely diamond-based electronics, has been a great challenge in materials science. We report the creation of n-type diamond via a new type of defect complexes of boron and oxygen that can be tuned by controlling the experimental parameters for diamond crystallization, leading to a shallow donor state with high carrier concentration that is several orders of magnitude higher than achieved by sulfur or phosphorus doping. The results provide a new strategy for producing n-type diamond-based devices.