Holes in Boron-Doped Diamond: Comparison Between Experiment and a New Model

We present a model for the calculation of the hole concentration in boron-doped diamond. It is based on details of the structure of the valence band and on a careful energy balance around the valence band edge. The effect of a variable hole effective mass is first examined. It is found that both the hole concentration and its activation energy increase with increasing hole effective mass. The calculations are then compared to some available experimental data. Good agreement between experiment and calculation is reached. It is concluded that the model rightly describes the thermal generation of the holes from the acceptor levels to the valence band. The difficulty to determine the acceptor and donor concentration independently from the hole effective mass is finally discussed.