ELECTRICAL CONTACTS ON DIAMOND

摘要

A method for forming ohmic contacts on diamond substrates (12), where by irradiating a diamond substrate from a source (14) providing radiation having a wavelength in the neighbourhood of 193 nm, regions of enhanced electrical conductivity (20) may be formed without substantially heating the substrate surface. Metal films may be applied to obtain ohmic or Schottky type contacts on the irradiated sites. The invention may be used to form regions of anisotropic and isotropic enhanced conductivity. Regions of anisotropic conductivity may be employed as polarizing optical devices.