Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 February 2011
We report a significant decrease in the photoelectric threshold of chemical vapor deposition grown diamond films as the fraction of sp 3 carbon to sp 2 plus sp 3 carbon in the films decreases. Raman spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy are used to characterize the different forms of carbon in the films and the sp 3/(sp 2 + sp 3) carbon fraction at the surface. We observe a decrease in the photoelectric threshold from 4.5 eV to 3.9 eV as the sp 3/(sp 2 + sp 3) carbon fraction at the surface decreases from 71% to 55%. Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy of the films shows that they have a negative electron affinity surface. Therefore, the work function of the films decreases from 4.5 eV to 3.9 eV. We propose that the decrease in photoelectric threshold is due to a decrease in the band gap of sp 2-sp 3 carbon networks at the grain boundaries. The observed decrease in photoelectric threshold can be used to tailor the electronic properties of diamond films for specific applications.