Work function and electron affinity of the fluorine-terminated (100) diamond surface

The work function and electron affinity of fluorine-terminated (100) diamond surfaces prepared by exposure to dissociated XeF2 have been determined using synchrotron-based photoemission. After vacuum annealing to 350 degrees C a clean, monofluoride terminated C(100):F surface was obtained for which an electron affinity of 2.56 eV was measured. This is the highest electron affinity reported for any diamond surface termination so far, and it exceeds the value predicted by recent density functional theory calculations by 0.43 eV. The work function of 7.24 eV measured for the same surface places the Fermi energy of 0.79 eV above the valence band maximum. (C) 2013 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4793999]