The effect of grain boundaries and adsorbates on the electrical properties of hydrogenated ultra nano crystalline diamond

The results of a comprehensive study on the temperature dependence of the electrical properties of hydrogenated and air exposed undoped UNCD layers following heating/cooling cycles are presented. The results clearly show that, in contrast to hydrogenated and air exposed single crystal type IIa diamond, which exhibits a clear highly conductive p-type surface layer, the electrical properties of hydrogen and H₂O exposure of UNCD are determined by the properties of the entire layer. The changes in the electrical conductivity of UNCD as a result of heating are governed by two different processes: (i) Loss of water from the external surface that takes place at about 150 °C. This process is reversible, reviving the electrical properties upon exposure to humidity, just like in single crystalline diamond.(ii) Modification of the inter-grain material, which occurs at higher temperatures possibly due to H diffusion and passivation of some dangling bonds in the inter-grain material. This increases the resistivity in an irreversible manner. The conduction mechanism in the inter-grain material is characterized by variable range hopping in band tails thus indirectly proving that the material between the grains is some kind of amorphous carbon.