Electron delocalization in amorphous carbon by ion implantation

The electrical properties of amorphous carbon are governed by the high localization of the sp(2) pi states, and conventional methods of altering the sp(2) content result in macroscopic graphitization. By using ion beams we have achieved a delocalization of the pi states by introducing nanoclustering and hence improving the connectivity between existing clusters, as demonstrated by the increase in the conductivity by two orders of magnitude without modification of the band gap. At higher doses, paramagnetic relaxation-time measurements indicate that exchange effects are present. This unveils the possibility of amorphous carbon-based electronics by tailoring the ion-beam conditions, which we demonstrate in the form of a rectifying device.