Amorphic diamond/silicon semiconductor heterojunctions exhibiting photoconductive characteristics

Amorphic diamond deposited from an intense laser plasma of C3+ and C4+ exhibits semiconductor properties. Although this material has a measured electrical breakdown strength of 3x10(9) V/m, it is shown to form a heterojunction with both p- and n-type Si. Regardless of the doping type and its concentration in the Si, current is rectified in the same direction with the diamond layer acting as the cathode. A photoconductive effect is observed for these junction devices and current levels from the heterojunction vary with the amount of reverse bias and the illumination. The spectral response is estimated to mostly lie in the range of 600-900 nm. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(00)01738-1].