IP Library Granted Patent US 9,484,474
Granted Patent B1
US 9,484,474 · App. 14/790,995 · Granted Nov 1, 2016

Ultrananocrystalline diamond contacts for electronic devices

Inventors: Anirudha V. Sumant (Plainfield, IL); John Smedley (Shirley, NY); Erik Muller (South Setauket, NY)
Assignees: UChicago Argonne, LLC; Brookhaven Science Associates, LLC; The Research Foundation for the State University of New York
H01L31/022408H01L31/028H01L31/115H01L31/1804
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,484,474
App. No.
14/790,995
Granted
Nov 1, 2016
Kind
B1
Abstract

A method of forming electrical contacts on a diamond substrate comprises producing a plasma ball using a microwave plasma source in the presence of a mixture of gases. The mixture of gases include a source of a p-type or an n-type dopant. The plasma ball is disposed at a first distance from the diamond substrate. The diamond substrate is maintained at a first temperature. The plasma ball is maintained at the first distance from the diamond substrate for a first time, and a UNCD film, which is doped with at least one of a p-type dopant and an n-type dopant, is disposed on the diamond substrate. The doped UNCD film is patterned to define UNCD electrical contacts on the diamond substrate.

Claims (16)

1. A method of forming electrical contacts on a diamond substrate, comprising:

producing a plasma ball using a microwave plasma source in the presence of a mixture of gases which include a source of a first p-type dopant or a first n-type dopant;

disposing the plasma ball at a first distance from the diamond substrate, the diamond substrate maintained at a first temperature;

maintaining the plasma ball at the first distance from the substrate for a first time;

disposing an ultrananocrystalline diamond film on the diamond substrate, the ultrananocrystalline diamond film doped with at least one of a second p-type dopant and a second n-type dopant; and

patterning the ultrananocrystalline film to define ultrananocrystalline diamond electrical contacts on the diamond substrate.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

disposing a masking layer on the ultrananocrystalline diamond film; and

patterning the masking layer to define a pattern of the electrical contacts in the masking layer.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ultrananocrystalline diamond electrical contacts have an X-ray absorption of less than about 1%.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first p-type dopant includes boron.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first n-type dopant includes nitrogen.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the ultrananocrystalline diamond film has a percentage of nitrogen in the range of about 0.05 atom % to about 0.5 atom %.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first temperature is in the range of about 350 degrees Celsius to about 950 degrees Celsius.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ultrananocrystalline diamond film is patterned using oxygen plasma etching.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ultrananocrystalline diamond does not oxidize up to a temperature of about 800 degrees Celsius.

Assignments (5)
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Mar 21, 2018
From: UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Reel/Frame 045303/0361 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 28, 2016
From: SUMANT, ANIRUDHA V.
To: UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC
Reel/Frame 039030/0877 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 28, 2016
From: SMEDLEY, JOHN
To: BROOKHAVEN SCIENCE ASSOCIATES, LLC
Reel/Frame 039031/0576 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 28, 2016
From: MULLER, ERIK
To: THE RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
Reel/Frame 039031/0729 →
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Oct 7, 2015
From: UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC
To: ENERGY, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF
Reel/Frame 036815/0459 →