Photo and field electron emission microscopy, from sulfur doped nanocrystalline diamond films

Contributors:   F.A.M. Koeck, M. Zumer, V. Nemanic, and Robert J. Nemanich

ABSTRACT

Room temperature electron emission from carbon and diamond films is usually based on tunnelling effects and can be implemented by application of an electric field to the emitter surface. Field emission from nanocrystalline thin films exhibits intense emission sites but a direct correlation with morphology has not been established. Thus the emission has to be formulated in terms of the electronic structure of the film as well as the geometric structure. Sulfur doped nanocrystalline diamond films were prepared by plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition utilizing 50 ppm hydrogen sulfide in hydrogen (H2S:H2) and pure methane (CH4) as the carbon source. Emission from these films is characterized by individual emitting sites with diameters < 100 nm and an emission site density of ∼5 × 103 cm− 2. This emission character is attributed to field enhancement where a contribution from geometric as well as electronic effects is discussed.

Publisher: Diamond and Related Materials,   Volume: 15,   880-883 ||  Published: 2006-02 ||   PDF (260.37 KB) ||   Read more...