Effect of substrate materials on the electron field emission characteristics of chemical vapor deposited diamond films

Journal Article · Wed Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1997 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.365639· OSTI ID:542545

Lee, J; Liu, K; Lin, I ^[1]

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1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Tsing-Hua University, Hsinchu 30043, Taiwan, Republic of (China)

Substrate materials used for growing diamond films were observed to modify thin films{close_quote} electron field emission properties significantly. Using heavily doped silicon (LR-Si) as a substrate lowered the turn-on field from (E{sub 0}){sub Si}=14.4V/{mu}m to (E{sub 0}){sub LR-Si}=9.7V/{mu}m and increased the emission current density from (J{sub e}){sub Si}=4{mu}A/cm{sup 2} to (J{sub e}){sub LR-Si}=40{mu}A/cm{sup 2} (at 16 V/{mu}m). However, electron field emission properties can be further improved only by using Au precoatings to modify the characteristics of interfacial layer. The turn-on field was lowered further to (E{sub 0}){sub Au{endash}Si}=8.7V/{mu}m and emission current density was increased further to (J{sub e}){sub Au{endash}Si}=400{mu}A/cm{sup 2} (at 16 V/{mu}m). Secondary ion mass spectroscopic examination indicated that the main interaction is the outward diffusion of Au species into amorphous carbon layer, lowering the resistivity of this interfacial layer. The electrons can therefore be transported easily from Si substrate across the interfacial layer to the diamonds and subsequently field emitted. {copyright} {ital 1997 American Institute of Physics.}

• OSTI ID: 542545
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 82; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION
COATINGS
DIAMONDS
DOPED MATERIALS
ELECTRON EMISSION
FIELD EMISSION
GOLD
SUBSTRATES
THIN FILMS