Vacuum-annealing induced band bending in phosphorus-doped (111) diamond

High-temperature annealing effects on hydrogen (H)-terminated phosphorus (P)-doped diamond (111) surfaces were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) experiments. Thermally activated, surface band bending was observed, which is clearly attributed to surface structural changes and adsorbates dynamics. The XPS results are compared between boron (B)- and P-doped diamond surfaces and an energy band model has been introduced to the P-doped diamond surface. The annealing process induces downward band bending (to a maximum of 1.3 eV) in B-doped diamond whereas it reduces the internal barrier height (by about I eV) in P-doped diamond and finally, the surface bands are pinned in the middle of the band gap. The depletion layer widths are calculated for both diamond surfaces. The band bending imposed by the annealing process can be effective in tuning the surface barrier height. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.