Photoinduced conductivity changes in polycrystalline diamond films

We report that the dark electrical properties of polycrystalline chemical vapor deposition diamond films are modified after exposure to UV light. UV illumination gives rise to an increase in the dark conductivity and to a change in the I-V characteristic from I alpha exp (aV) for the as-grown material to I alpha V-2 following UV irradiation. Thermally stimulated currents corresponding to an activation energy of about 1.9 eV are observed after UV illumination. The effects of UV irradiation can be totally reversed by thermal annealing and partially reversed by exposing the samples to white light. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.