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

该项目涉及应用针对碳基材料研究优化的先进x射线表征方法，以解决钻石科学和技术中的关键基础问题。近年来，金刚石作为一种功能性宽间隙半导体材料出现，主要是由于金刚石合成的进步，其质量水平已经达到了更传统的晶体半导体的水平。尽管其结构与这些材料相似，但金刚石一直表现出独特的性能，如高导热性，热和辐射稳定性以及负电子亲和性，使其能够应用于新的电子和光电子领域。在金刚石电子学中仍有许多实际问题需要解决（例如，高效的低电阻和整流触点，优化的n型掺杂以及热化学过程的控制），并且需要更好地理解新的现象和应用（例如，转移掺杂，纳米金刚石传感器和量子存储）。这种背景为项目学生提供了一套理想的挑战，配备了适当的工具，以互补的表征方法（x射线吸收光谱，x射线光电子光谱和x射线光电子显微镜）的形式，可以在现场应用，以探测高能，时间和空间分辨率的能量水平，化学和局部结构之间的相互作用。对实际问题的解决方案将确保为博士课程产生有用数据的高概率，而应用最明亮的光源与最有效的实验探针和探测器相结合的技术将确保发现新科学的同等可能性。

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.