Photoconductive properties of thin film diamond

The origin of photoconductivity within diamond is briefly reviewed. Several applications Cor thin film diamond formed by chemical vapour deposition (CVD) could be realised if the extrinsic photoconductive response could be controlled, including the fabrication of deep UV photodetectors which are ''blind'' to visible light. It is possible to reduce the extrinsic photoconductive response otherwise apparent in CVD films by a combination of careful device design and well chosen post fabrication gaseous treatments; the nature of the treatments used and how they may be affecting defects within the diamond are discussed. Highly sensitive deep UV photodetectors call be produced in this manner, exhibiting external quantum efficiencies of greater than 500%. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.