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Correction - Radtke et al. Plasma Treatments and Light Extraction from Fluorinated CVD-Grown (400) Single Crystal Diamond Nanopillars. C 2020, 6, 37

MetadataDetails
Publication Date2022-10-12
JournalC – Journal of Carbon Research
AuthorsMariusz Radtke, Abdallah Slablab, Sandra Van Vlierberghe, Chaonan Lin, Ying‐Jie Lu
InstitutionsGhent University, Zhengzhou University
AnalysisFull AI Review Included

This correction notice validates the successful surface fluorination of single crystal diamond nanopillars, a critical step for optimizing their optical and electronic performance. The key findings and implications for engineering applications are summarized below:

  • Validated Fluorination: Corrected X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) data definitively confirms the presence of fluorine (F1s peak) on the CVD-grown diamond surface following 0 V bias SF6 plasma treatment.
  • Enhanced Light Extraction: The surface modification (fluorination) is specifically implemented to improve light extraction efficiency from the diamond nanopillar structures.
  • NV Center Quenching: Photoluminescence (PL) analysis demonstrates clear quenching of photoluminescence, indicating successful passivation or reduction of negatively charged nitrogen vacancies (NV- centers).
  • Structural Integrity Confirmed: Dedicated Raman spectroscopy verifies the structural quality of the nanopillars, showing splitting of the diamond peak (1332.25 cm-1) due to growth-induced stress, which serves as proof for the lack of detrimental underetching.
  • Process Control: Optical Emission Spectroscopy (OES) was utilized to monitor the active species (F, SFx+) within the SF6 plasma, ensuring precise control over the fluorination recipe.
ParameterValueUnitContext
Material SubstrateCVD-Grown (400)N/ASingle Crystal Diamond Nanopillars.
Plasma Gas UsedSF6N/ASource gas for fluorination.
Plasma Bias Voltage0VApplied bias condition during plasma treatment.
PL Excitation Wavelength532nmLaser used for photoluminescence mapping.
PL Excitation Power654”WPower used for PL measurements (Fig 3A).
Max PL Count Rate1.285E+05cpsMaximum intensity observed in the PL scan.
Raman Excitation Wavelength532.05nmLaser used for dedicated Raman spectroscopy.
Raman Excitation Power2.47mWPower used for Raman measurements (Fig 3D).
Diamond Raman Peak1332.25cm-1Measured peak position showing splitting due to stress.
Confirmed XPS PeaksC1s, O1s, F1sN/AConfirms carbon structure, oxygen, and fluorine termination.

The study focuses on surface modification and characterization of diamond nanopillars using plasma processing and advanced spectroscopy:

  1. Diamond Structure Preparation: Single crystal diamond nanopillars were fabricated from CVD-grown (400) material.
  2. Plasma Fluorination: The nanopillars were exposed to SF6 plasma under a 0 V bias condition to achieve fluorine termination (F-termination).
  3. Quantification Technique: A single crystal quartz plate was used to partially shield the nanopillars during plasma treatment, allowing for quantitative analysis of the fluorine termination effects.
  4. Surface Chemistry Analysis (XPS): X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy was performed to confirm the chemical state and elemental composition of the surface, specifically validating the presence of the F1s peak after plasma treatment.
  5. Optical Property Assessment (PL): Photoluminescence scanning (using a 532 nm laser) was conducted to observe the quenching effect, confirming the passivation of negatively charged nitrogen vacancies (NV- centers).
  6. Plasma Monitoring (OES): Optical Emission Spectroscopy was employed to identify and monitor the active species (e.g., F, F2+, SF4+, SF5+) generated by the SF6 plasma during processing.
  7. Structural Integrity Check (Raman): Dedicated Raman spectroscopy was used to measure the splitting of the diamond peak (D-band), confirming growth-induced stress and verifying the absence of structural damage or underetching caused by the plasma process.

The technology demonstrated—precise surface fluorination of diamond nanopillars for optical and structural control—is highly relevant to several high-tech sectors:

  • Quantum Sensing and Computing:
    • The ability to quench NV- centers in specific regions (e.g., the pillar sidewalls) while preserving them in the active volume is crucial for creating high-coherence, high-signal-to-noise quantum sensors and qubits based on diamond NV centers.
  • Advanced Optoelectronics:
    • Enhanced light extraction from diamond is vital for developing high-efficiency deep-UV light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and detectors, leveraging diamond’s wide bandgap.
  • High-Power RF Devices:
    • Fluorine termination provides a stable, robust surface passivation layer for diamond-based high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs), improving device stability and reducing surface leakage currents in high-frequency and high-power applications.
  • Micro/Nano-Fabrication:
    • The controlled plasma etching and surface modification techniques are essential for manufacturing high-aspect-ratio diamond microstructures used in micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) and advanced thermal management solutions.
View Original Abstract

The authors would like to update the XPS spectrum in Figure 3c [
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