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6CCVD Research

Research progress of optoelectronic devices based on diamond materials

At a Glance

Section titled “At a Glance”
MetadataDetails
Publication Date2023-08-10
JournalFrontiers in Physics
AuthorsHouzhi Fei, Dandan Sang, Liangrui Zou, Shunhao Ge, Yu Yao
InstitutionsBeijing University of Chemical Technology, Liaocheng University
Citations8
AnalysisFull AI Review Included

Executive Summary

Section titled “Executive Summary”

Diamond materials are emerging as critical components for next-generation optoelectronics due to their exceptional properties, enabling high-performance devices operating in harsh environments.

  • Core Value Proposition: Diamond offers ultra-wide bandgap (5.47 eV), extremely high thermal conductivity (2200 W/mK), and a high breakdown field (10 MV/cm), overcoming limitations of traditional semiconductors like Si and GaN.
  • Transistor Performance: H-terminated diamond FETs achieve high-frequency operation (fmax 120 GHz) and high power density (3.8 W/mm) while maintaining a high breakdown voltage (2 kV).
  • UV Detection Excellence: Deep ultraviolet detectors show superior performance, including high responsivity (up to 275.9 A W-1) and excellent UV/visible light suppression ratios (up to 4 orders of magnitude).
  • Thermal Management: Diamond heat spreaders significantly reduce LED junction temperatures (up to 24 °C reduction) and extend device lifetime by slowing aging by 60% to 99%.
  • Field Emission: Modified diamond structures (e.g., D-ECNWs, UNCD films) demonstrate low turn-on fields (as low as 0.8 V/”m) and high current densities, suitable for cold cathode applications.
  • Sensing and Memory: Diamond-based sensors exhibit high stability, resistance to electromagnetic interference (EMI), and linear response for pressure and biosensing. Ti-doped CVD diamond is used to create artificial synapses for neuromorphic memory.

Technical Specifications

Section titled “Technical Specifications”
ParameterValueUnitContext
Bandgap Energy5.47eVIntrinsic Diamond
Thermal Conductivity2200W/mKIntrinsic Diamond
Breakdown Field Strength10MV/cmIntrinsic Diamond
H-FET Max Frequency (fmax)120GHzH-terminated diamond FET
H-FET Power Density3.8W/mmH-terminated diamond FET
H-FET Breakdown Voltage2kVH-terminated diamond FET
H-FET Maximum Drain Current (IDmax)-83.8mA/mmH-terminated diamond FET
H-FET Hole Mobility680cm2/V-sH-terminated diamond FET
UV Detector Responsivity275.9A W-1MSM UV-C detector (213 nm, 120 V bias)
UV Detector EQE1,607-MSM UV-C detector (213 nm, 120 V bias)
UV Detector Dark Current14.2pA3D Photodetector (10 V reverse bias)
LED Junction Temp Reduction19 to 24°CCompared to MCPCB (350 mA and 700 mA)
Field Emission Conduction Field (UNCD)0.8V/”mAnnealed UNCD films (900-1000 °C)
Field Emission Current Density (UNCD)7180”A/cm2Annealed UNCD films (at 1.3 V/”m)
Pressure Sensor Linear Range0 to 3MPaPolycrystalline Diamond (PCD) membrane
Glucose Biosensor Sensitivity-53mV/log10 [conc.]Partial O-diamond biosensor
Memristor Compliance Current30mATi-doped CVD diamond device

Key Methodologies

Section titled “Key Methodologies”

The fabrication and enhancement of diamond-based optoelectronic devices rely on precise material synthesis and modification techniques:

  1. Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD): Used extensively for growing various diamond films, including ultra-nanocrystalline diamond (UNCD), nanocrystalline diamond (NCD), boron-doped microcrystalline diamond (BMD), and polycrystalline diamond (PCD) films on substrates like Si.
  2. Low-Pressure Annealing: Applied to UNCD films (specifically 900-1000 °C) to reduce defects and form continuously conducting graphene nanoribbons (GNRs), significantly improving electron field emission (EFE) characteristics.
  3. Metal Sputtering: DC magnetron sputtering used to deposit thin metal layers (Ni, Al, Mo, Ti) onto diamond surfaces to form metal-semiconductor contacts, effectively reducing the work function and enhancing EFE.
  4. Electrostatic Self-Assembly: Used in conjunction with MPCVD to control the high uniformity and density of ultra-nano diamond particles decorating carbon nanowalls (CNWs) for improved field emission stability.
  5. Surface Termination: Chemical modification, particularly hydrogen termination (H-terminated diamond), is crucial for achieving 2D hole gas conduction necessary for high-performance FETs. Fluorine termination is explored for NV-based quantum sensors.
  6. Selective Chemical Etching: Used to fabricate thin diamond membranes on silicon substrates for pressure sensor applications, defining the cavity length for Fabry-Perot interferometry.
  7. Nanoparticle Integration: Assembly of palladium nanoparticles on epitaxial diamond films to induce Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance (LSPR), enhancing ultraviolet absorption and detector responsivity.
  8. Laser Processing: Used for manufacturing shape memory alloy (SMA) diamond-like actuators and for femtosecond laser micromachining to etch buried optical waveguides for diamond photonics.

Commercial Applications

Section titled “Commercial Applications”
Industry/SectorSpecific Device/FunctionTechnical Advantage
High Power ElectronicsField-Effect Transistors (FETs), Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJTs)High breakdown voltage (2 kV), high current density, high thermal stability (up to 150 °C operation), high frequency (120 GHz).
Thermal ManagementHeat Spreaders, Thermal Diffusion LayersUltra-high thermal conductivity (2200 W/mK) for cooling high-power GaN LEDs and extending device lifetime.
UV Detection & Harsh EnvironmentsDeep Ultraviolet (UV-C) Detectors, Radiation DetectorsUltra-wide bandgap (5.47 eV) ensures solar blindness and high visible light suppression; radiation hardness for space and defense.
Quantum TechnologyQuantum Optical Memory (QOM), Quantum Sensors (NV Centers)Long nuclear spin coherence times; integrated magnetic sensors; platform for complex quantum circuits and single-photon sources.
Biosensing & Medical DiagnosticsSolution-Gate FETs (SGFETs), Glucose BiosensorsBiocompatibility, chemical stability, high sensitivity (10-5 to 10-1 M range) for label-free DNA and PDGF detection.
Cold Cathode EmissionField Emitters (D-ECNWs, UNCD films)Low turn-on electric fields (as low as 0.8 V/”m) and high current density for microplasma devices and flat panel displays.
Mechanical SensingPressure Sensors (MEMS Diaphragms)Resistance to electromagnetic interference (EMI), high mechanical hardness, and linear response in harsh pressure environments (up to 3 MPa).
Neuromorphic ComputingMemristors (Artificial Synapses)Ability to store and integrate input signals (Potentiation/Depression) using Ti-doped CVD diamond.
View Original Abstract

Diamond has a variety of unique characteristics, including integrates mechanics, electricity, heat, optics and other excellent properties, so that it is widely focus on the field of high and new technology, especially in the optoelectronic technology. Because diamond has the characteristics of high thermal conductivity, high breakdown field (10 mV/cm), high electron and hole mobility, it has a wide application prospect in high temperature, high power and high frequency photoelectric equipment. The wide bandgap (5.47 eV) makes diamond an ideal material in ultraviolet detectors (UV). Its high carrier mobility and breakdown field strength make it an ideal choice for field emission materials, which are expected to be used in high-power electronic devices in the next few years. At the same time, in addition to high hardness, it also has various of excellent physical properties, such as low coefficient of thermal expansion, low coefficient of friction, high acoustic propagation speed and high optical transmittance, so that it has broad application prospects in many fields such as machining, microelectronic devices, optical windows and surface coatings. In addition, diamond also has a high exciton binding energy (80 meV), which plays an important development in deep ultraviolet and high-energy particle detectors. In this article, the latest progress in the application of diamond-based optoelectronic devices is reviewed. A variety of advanced devices and physical phenomena are considered, for example, sensors, transistors, memory, Light-emitting diode (LEDs), ultraviolet detectors and field emission. This review will provide a new idea to promote the development of photoelectric applications based on diamond structure.

Tech Support

Section titled “Tech Support”

Original Source

Section titled “Original Source”

References

Section titled “References”
  1. 2020 - A hybrid self-aligned MIS-MESFET architecture for improved diamond-based transistors [Crossref]
  2. 2019 - High performance ÎČ-Ga2O3 nano-membrane field effect transistors on a high thermal conductivity diamond substrate [Crossref]
  3. 2016 - Towards a spin-ensemble quantum memory for superconducting qubits [Crossref]
  4. 2019 - Doped nanocrystalline diamond films as reflective layers for fiber-optic sensors of refractive index of liquids [Crossref]
  5. 2010 - Diamond islands wafer for super LED manufacture [Crossref]
  6. 2021 - Effect of different metal composite layer on field emission properties of diamond film [Crossref]
  7. 2020 - Enhanced responsivity of diamond UV detector based on regrown lens structure [Crossref]
  8. 2012 - Superior field emissions from boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond compared to boron-doped microcrystalline diamond [Crossref]
  9. 2010 - Enhanced field emission from ZnO nanoneedles on chemical vapour deposited diamond films [Crossref]
  10. 2019 - Conduction mechanisms and voltage drop during field electron emission from diamond needles [Crossref]

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