Thin film diamond sensor technology

Modern thin film sensor technology imposes stringent demands upon material duality, highly qualified downstream process technologies, device performance and integrity. Since the earliest stages of its development, crystalline thin film diamond has been promoted as a semiconductor material for high power, high frequency or high temperature electronics. These predictions have been based largely on early experiments made with small single crystal stones. As the properties of thin thin diamond are beginning to match up with those of single crystal diamond the real scope for diamond in electronics is being realised. This paper reviews some of the developments made in thin film diamond sensors at AEA Technology. The development of chemical vapour deposition processes for manufacturing wafer scale insulating and doped semiconducting diamond are reviewed. The development of downstream process technologies such as device delineation and contact technology are discussed. Finally some demonstration devices are presented which illustrate the material issues that have arisen in diamond sensor technology and its potential.