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High Field Electrical Conductivity and Breakdown in Heteroepitaxial Diamond Films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

S. Schröppel
Affiliation:
Institut für Physik, Universität Augsburg, D-86135 Augsburg (Germany)
R. Hessmer
Affiliation:
Institut für Physik, Universität Augsburg, D-86135 Augsburg (Germany)
M. Schreck
Affiliation:
Institut für Physik, Universität Augsburg, D-86135 Augsburg (Germany)
B. Stritzker
Affiliation:
Institut für Physik, Universität Augsburg, D-86135 Augsburg (Germany)
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Abstract

Nominally undoped, heteroepitaxially nucleated diamond films have been grown on Si(001). For different temperatures ranging between room temperature and 490°C the DCconductivity through the films has been measured for field strengths up to 600kV/cm. In the framework of the Poole-Frenkel theory a fit of the curves is possible for the model of isolated as well as for the model of overlapping coulombic potentials yielding an activation energy of 1.03eV.

In addition the breakdown voltage of the films has been measured as a function of the temperature. A drastic linear decrease with temperature is observed. Starting at a dielectric strength of about 1 MV/cm at room temperature the breakdown field decreases by an order of magnitude for 400°C. This observed behaviour is consistent with thermal breakdown based on Poole-Frenkel conduction in the pre-breakdown region.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1996

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References

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