Deposition and characterization of doped nanocrystalline diamond films and particles - toward applications in energy converters

Abstract

The main work in context with this thesis addressed two independent aspects within the MATCON project, (1) the deposition and characterization of P-NCD for thermionic emission and (2) the manufacturing of B-doped nanoparticles. The focus lay on the former which is a contribution to the emerging field of electron emission from n-type doped diamond. Uniform NCD thin films were deposited in a CVD plasma using high concentrations of phosphine as dopant source. As a result of the thorough characterization which has provided a better understanding of the material under investigation the first successful proven incorporation of P in NCD has been reported. Equally important is the evidence that advanced electron microscopy techniques can be used to localize dopants at relatively low concentrations, opening up routes for the use of these techniques on other materials. With high resolution spectroscopy techniques, such as STEM-EDX, SIMS and cathodoluminescence, it was not only possible to prove and visualize phosphorus incorporation in the films but also to quantify its content. ...