N-type control of single-crystal diamond films by ultra-lightly phosphorus doping

Abstract

A wide impurity doping range of p- and n-type diamond semiconductors will facilitate the development of various electronics. This study focused on producing n-type diamond with ultra-lightly impurity doping concentrations. N-type single-crystal diamond films were grown on (111)-oriented diamond substrates by phosphorus doping using the optimized doping conditions based on microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition with a high magnetron output power of 3600 W. The surface morphology was investigated by an optical microscopy using the Nomarski prism and confocal laser microscopy, and the phosphorus concentration was estimated by a secondary ion mass spectrometry. The phosphorus concentration was reproducibly controlled to between 2 × 1015 and 3 × 1017 cm−3 using a standard mass flow controller, and the average incorporation efficiency was around 0.1%. The electrical properties of the films were characterized by the Hall effect measurements as a function of temperature over a wide range from 220 to 900 K. N-type conductivity with thermal activation from a phosphorus donor level at around 0.57 eV was clearly observed for all the phosphorus-doped diamond films. The electron mobility of the film with a phosphorus concentration of 2 × 1015 cm−3 was recorded at 1060 cm2/V s at 300 K and 1500 cm2/V s at 225 K.