Direct observation of the leakage current in epitaxial diamond Schottky   barrier devices by conductive-probe atomic force microscopy and Raman imaging
  The origin of the high leakage current measured in several vertical-type diamond Schottky devices is conjointly investigated by conducting probe atomic force microscopy (CP-AFM) and confocal micro-Raman/Photoluminescence (PL) imaging analysis. Local areas characterized by a strong decrease of the local resistance (5-6 orders of magnitude drop) with respect to their close surrounding have been identified in several different regions of the sample surface. The same local areas, also referenced as electrical hot-spots, reveal a slightly constrained diamond lattice and three dominant Raman bands in the low-wavenumber region (590, 914 and 1040 cm-1). These latter bands are usually assigned to the vibrational modes involving boron impurities and its possible complexes that can electrically act as traps for charge carriers. Local current-voltage measurements performed at the hot-spots point out a trap-filled-limited (TFL) current as the main conduction mechanism favoring the leakage current in the Schottky devices. 
Jose Alvarez (1,2,3,4 and 5), M. Boutchich (1,2,3,4 and 5), J. P.   Kleider (1,2,3,4 and 5), T. Teraji (6), Y. Koide (6) ((1...
cond-mat.mtrl-sci