A Study of the Electronic Structure Near Individual Dislocations in Diamond by Energy-Loss Spectroscopy

Abstract

ABSTRACTSpatially resolved electron energy-loss spectra recorded from very small volumes of diamond containing individual dislocations show extra intensity within the band-gap just below the 1s to bulk conduction band threshold energy, when compared to spectra recorded from neighboring defect free regions. This is interpreted as direct evidence for the presence of vacant defect states associated with the dislocation structure. The contribution of the π* states from the surface layers to this region of the spectra is completely removed by calculating the difference between the spectra recorded on and off the defect. A comparison is drawn between the measured near edge structure and calculations of local density of states reported in the literature.