Utilizing of hydrocarbon contamination for prevention of the surface charge-up at electron-beam assisted chemical etching of a diamond chip

Electron beam assisted chemical etching (EBACE) with oxygen gas is not applicable for direct fine patterning of diamond devices, because the diamond is an electrical insulator and electron beam impingement of the diamond causes the surface charge-up. It is possible to form conductive layer of hydrocarbon on the diamond surface by electron beam irradiation in the atmosphere of diffusion pump oil vapors. In this paper, a scanning electron microscope (SEM) combined with oxygen gas introduction system was used for EBACE of the diamond. It was found by in-situ SEM observation that rectangular patterns with several μm² area and sub-μm depth were formed on the diamond chip.