Abstract

An electrochemical etch technique enables separation of large-area diamond films from diamonds by etching non-crystalline, sub-surface carbon generated by ion implantation. The same electrochemical treatment selectively oxidizes the surface of unimplanted semiconducting diamonds, Secondary electron microscopy (SEM), ultraviolet photoelectron (UPS) and x-ray photoelectron (XPS) spectroscopy reveal that the surface chemistry creates a region with air-stable, high secondary electron emission, and possibly negative electron affinity.