Fabrication of ultra-thin diamond films using hydrogen implantation and Lift-off technique

Abstract

The Lift-off technique based on high fluence (>3×1016cm−2) implantation of hydrogen (H-) ions has been developed to increase the structural quality and electro-optical properties of the diamond thin membranes. According to the XTEM study the Vacuum Pressure - High Temperature (VPHT) treatment of the H2+ implanted (111) diamond plates at 1200-1600°C and 10−3Pa forms buried glassy like graphite layers in the implanted areas. High Pressure - High Temperature (HPHT) annealing at the same temperatures but under the pressure 4-8 GPa leads to the epitaxial growth of graphite in the buried implanted layers, which could not be etched chemically, but could be easily removed by etching in the anodic cell. Visible light Raman spectroscopy has shown that the H-Lift-off technique is suitable for formation of ultra-thin (down to 30 nm) high quality single crystal diamond membranes and heterostructures. High concentration of nitrogen-vacancy NV− centres (∼1020cm−3) was observed under graphite contacts in thin layer (≤100 nm). Thin, 30 nm single crystal diamond films are the thinnest and largest area single crystal diamond structure produced to date by the Lift-off technique.