How nanocrystalline diamond films become charged in nanoscale

0386473 - FZÚ 2013 RIV CH eng J - Journal Article
Verveniotis, Elisseos - Kromka, Alexander - Ledinský, Martin - Rezek, Bohuslav
How nanocrystalline diamond films become charged in nanoscale.
Diamond and Related Materials. Roč. 24, č. 4 (2012), s. 39-43. ISSN 0925-9635. E-ISSN 1879-0062
R&D Projects: GA ČR GD202/09/H041; GA MŠMT(CZ) LC06040; GA AV ČR KAN400100701; GA MŠMT LC510; GA ČR GAP204/10/0212
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100521
Keywords : nanocrystalline diamond * local electrostatic charging * nanoparticle assembly * CS-AFM * KFM
Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism
Impact factor: 1.709, year: 2012

Electrostatic charging of oxygen-terminated nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) thin films deposited on silicon in sub-100 nm thickness and with intentionally high relative sp2 phase ratio (60%) is characterized on a microscopic level. By correlating Kelvin Force Microscopy, Current-Sensing Atomic Force Microscopy, micro-Raman spectroscopy and cross-sectional Scanning Electron Microscopy data we show that the charging is determined by both the surface topography (grains and grain boundaries) and complex sub-surface morphology (arrangement of grains and sp2 phase) on scales below 2 × 2 um2. These microscopic data and macroscopic I(V) characteristics evidence that sp2 phase dominates over diamond grains in local electrostatic charging of NCD thin films. Moreover, the tip-surface junction quality is identified as the main factor behind large variations (0.1 to 1 V) of the overall induced electrostatic charge contrast.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0215767