Argonne National Laboratory

Research Highlight | Materials Science

Surface termination of diamond: Investigated and modified with atomic layer deposition
In a study published in Carbon, researchers use atomic layer deposition to distinguish between different common surface terminations on diamond, which is important to quantum sensing applications.
Experimental workflow of ex situ and in situ (in red box) surface treatments. Graph is an in-situ ellipsometric measurements of the thickness of Al₂O₃ on the surface.

Scientific Achievement

  • Atomic layer deposition (ALD) was used to probe the differences in surface chemistry of diamond 001 terminations for the first time.
  • This technique can be used both as an analytical technique to give information about surface chemistry and as a deposition/passivation method.

Significance and Impact

  • Diamond surface termination is extremely important for quantum sensing and device integration.
  • This work paves the way for a facile termination characterization methodology as well as in-situ quantum relevant surface passivation schemes.

Research Details

  • ALD is gas-solid surface reactions, here the reactivity surface terminations can be modified in situ or probed by the deposition of Al2O3 on the diamond surface.
  • In-situ treatments had significantly altered surface chemistry as demonstrated by the effect on nucleation of material on the surface.

DOI: 10.1016/j.carbon.2023.118276

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