Photoelectron spectroscopy and microscopy using synchrotron radiation for exploiting diamond surfaces and interfaces

This project involves the application of advanced x-ray characterisation methods optimised for the study of carbon-based materials to address key fundamental issues in diamond science and technology. Diamond has emerged in recent years as a functional wide-gap semiconducting material largely enabled by advances in diamond synthesis to a level of quality that has reached that of more conventional crystalline semiconductors. In spite of its structural similarity to these materials, diamond has consistently exhibited unique properties such as its high thermal conductivity, thermal and radiation stability and negative electron affinity that enable niche and new electronic and optoelectronic applications. There remain many practical issues to resolve in diamond electronics (e.g. efficient low resistance and rectifying contacts, optimised n-type doping and control of thermal and chemical processes) and there is a need for better understanding of new phenomenon and applications (e.g. transfer doping, nanodiamond sensors and quantum storage). This background provides an ideal set of challenges for a project student equipped with the appropriate tools in the form of complementary characterisation methods (X-ray Absorption Spectroscsopy, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and X-ray Photoelectron Microscopy) that can be applied in-situ to probe the interplay between energy levels, chemistry and local structure with high energy, temporal and spatial resolution. Solutions to the practical issues will ensure a high probability of generating useful data for the PhD programme while the application of techniques operating with the brightest sources coupled to the most efficient experimental probes and detectors will ensure an equal likelihood of discovering new science.