Diamond interfaces and heterostructures
Résumé
Early models of potential barrier heights at metal-semiconductor interfaces are reviewed and compared to some experimental data. Discrepancies between them show that intial surface terminations and defects already present or chemical changes occurring when interfaces are formed must be considered. Properties of hydrogenated, bare and oxygenated surfaces of diamond are detailed. Sub-surface defects are are detected and shown to be related to hydrogen, which can be suppressed by introducing oxygen in the plasma used in the growth reactor. Interfaces built on oxygen terminated surfaces with less electronegative metals or conductive oxides reveal powerful potentialities in term of suppressing the detrimental role of defects and tailoring the potential barrier heigths of Schottky contacts and metal-oxide-semiconductor structures on diamond.