Diamond ultraviolet photovoltaic cell obtained by lithium and boron doping

Abstract
Polycrystalline high quality freestanding 300-μm-thick diamond films were doped by diffusion of B and Li under electric bias in order to fabricate vertical p-n junctions. Circular contacts were obtained by high dose ion implantation of B and Li. The I–V characteristics were rectifying. When illuminated by deuterium lamp, an open circuit voltage was 2.6 eV. The shape of the I–V characteristic under illumination points to the existence of shunt and series resistances. The obtained structure is most probably a p-n junction with bad contacts.