Start of funding 01.01.2010

Scanning force microscopy on hydrogen terminated diamond surfaces

Dr. Jose A. Garrido
Technische Universität München
Walter Schottky Institut

Prof. Dr. Miguel Salmeron
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Materials Sciences Division



At ambient conditions all surfaces are exposed to water vapor. In the specific case of hydrogenated diamond, ambient conditions are known to strongly modify the electronic properties of the material, resulting in a quasi-2D hole conductive channel at the surface, which has been attributed to the presence of an adsorbed thin water layer. This water layer has so far avoided elucidation with standard methods. The main goal of this project is to develop a microscopic understanding of the hydrogen terminated diamond/water interface. Using advanced scanning probe microscopy under controlled humidity conditions, together with ambient X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, we aim to elucidate the structure of the adsorbed water on hydrophobic (hydrogenated) and hydrophilic (oxidized) diamond surfaces.