Doping diamond to obtain optical or electrical property

摘要

Doped diamond prodn. comprises: (a) low temp. implantation of doping atoms to provide a damaged region with point defects in the form of vacancies and interstitial doping atoms; and (b) heat treating the diamond to reduce the lattice damage and cause the interstitial atoms to move to lattice sites. The doping atoms have an atomic number of at least 13 and are capable of providing the diamond with an optical or electrical property when located at lattice sites, the implantation dose being selected to cause less damage than that caused by carbon atom implantation at up to 2.5 x 10<18>/cm<3> concn..