Photo-Ionization of Dopants in Diamond Semiconductor Devices

Diamond has emerged as a promising semiconductor material for high-performance electronic and optoelectronic devices due to its exceptional physical and electrical properties, including wide bandgap, high carrier mobility, superior thermal conductivity, and chemical inertness. These attributes make diamond particularly attractive for operation under extreme conditions such as high temperature, high voltage, or harsh chemical environments. We have designed and fabricated a new device to evaluate the use of laser light incidence to counteract the low ionization rate of dopant impurities in diamond at room temperature. We demonstrate the feasibility of modifying the electrical conductance of diamond-based devices through targeted photoionization of boron dopants. These findings pave the way for robust, high performance diamond electronics suited for extreme environments, where their superior thermal and electrical properties can be fully utilized.