Symposium EP09-Diamond Electronics, Sensors and Biotechnology—Fundamentals to Applications

Diamond possesses a variety of unique and extreme properties which make it highly attractive for application in various fields of multidisciplinary research. Substantial improvement in the processes used to produce high quality single crystal diamond substrates, nanodiamond films, diamond particles, and closely related cubic boron nitride (c-BN) has continued to catalyze the expansive field of diamond technology. This last year has seen several companies in the USA, Singapore and India begin operations making CVD diamond gemstones on a commercial basis. This has been made possible due to the advances in CVD technology and a better understanding of the growth processes discussed at previous editions of this symposium, and promises to the first step towards large-area single-crystal diamond substrates. In the field of diamond electronics, recent breakthroughs in surface-doping techniques have demonstrated new strategies for the development of high performance diamond-based electronic components. In particular, the negative electron affinity of diamond surfaces has enabled a new generation of electronic devices, ultra-high voltage switches and energy conversion approaches. Hybrid electronic systems that combine diamond’s excellent thermal properties with materials such as GaN have also recently demonstrated record breaking device performance. Beyond monocrystalline diamond, applications of functionalized nanodiamonds have emerged as biomarkers and for drug delivery and cancer diagnosis and therapy. Substantial developments have also been made using diamond for biocompatible neuro-interfaces and innovative cell monitoring devices. For example the growth and culturing of various types of human cells (bone cells, blood cells, neurons and stem cells) on diamond substrates, and the use of conducting diamond electrodes for in vivo nerve stimulation and recording.

Previous symposia have successfully brought together researchers from academia and industry from the largely diverse international diamond research community. These symposia also serve as a focal point which continues to attract researchers involved with new and emerging diamond and parallel carbon-based technology research.

Topics will include:

Advances in homo and heteroepitaxial growth of diamond, c-BN and bonding of diamond to other materials
Defects, impurities and doping in diamond and diamond-like carbon and how these affect the electrical, optical and mechanical properties
Advances in p-type and n-type doping of single, microcrystalline and nanocrystalline diamond
Diamond for imaging and quantum computing – including fundamental studies of colour centres (NV, Ni8, Si, etc), potential quantum devices, and supporting architectures (waveguides, couplers, etc)
High performance diamond-based electronic devices, including delta-doped devices, hydrogen-terminated 2D hole gas devices, high power devices, GaN/diamond hybrids, high frequency devices and IGFETs
Efficient diamond-based UV emitters and detectors and particle detectors
Diamond and c-BN arrays and heterostructures of these materials for application in thermionic, photo-induced and field electron emission, including energy conversion devices
Diamond electrode arrays on rigid or flexible substrates for assessing neural signaling and plasticity (including fabrication, chemical modification, biocompatibility, cell adhesion and growth, and neuron signal measurement for implant application)
Nanoscopic diamond powders/films and their functionalization for sensing, imaging and separations, and for SAW, MEMS/NEMS and photonic devices
Optical and electrical platforms for chemical/biosensing (including fabrication, chemical modification and measurement/application)
Diamond electrodes for electrochemical sensing and detection, and the study of redox processes
Medical applications of nanodiamond as biomarkers and for drug delivery

Invited Speakers:

Satoshi Koizumi (National Institute for Materials Science, Japan)
Ruji Igarashi (QST, Japan)
Timothy Grotjohn (Michigan State University, USA)
Ken Haenen (Hasselt University, Belgium)
Philippe Bergonzo (CEA-LIST Institute, France)
Christian Degen (ETH Zurich, Switzerland)
Jan Jeske (RMIT University, Australia)
Hiromitsu Kato (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Japan)
Anke Krüger (Universität Würzburg, Germany)
Elke Neu (Universität des Saarlandes, Germany)
Mariko Suzuki (Cornes Technologies Ltd., Japan)
Tanya Trajkovic (Microeletronics Ltd., United Kingdom)