Comparison of the XPS spectra from homoepitaxial {111}, {100} and polycrystalline boron-doped diamond films

Abstract

In this work, we have used X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to investigate the nature of surface adsorbed species and their sensitivity to the boron concentration [B] in two sets of as-grown diamond films: homoepitaxial {111} and polycrystalline. These sets cover each one at least three of the four doping ranges: low doping (5 × 10 16 < [B] < 1.5 × 10 19 cm − 3 ), high doping (1.5 × 10 19 < [B] < 3 × 10 20 cm − 3 ), heavy doping (3 × 10 20 < [B] < 2 × 10 21 cm − 3 ), and phase separation ([B] > 2 × 10 21 cm − 3 ). The results are compared to those we have previously obtained on {100} homoepitaxial films in the same doping ranges. A detailed description of both the nature and the relative concentrations of the main surface chemical species on every set of films is reported. Besides the usual CH x bonds on the diamond surface, the following oxygen-related groups: Ether (C–O–C), hydroxyl (C–OH, only on polycrystalline films), carbonyl (> C=O) and carboxyl (HO–C=O) have been found on the surface of grown diamond films, upon spontaneous oxidation under air (no oxidation treatment has been applied). The evolution of each surface chemical group according to the boron concentration in the films is.