UNCD electron emitters using Si nanostructure as a template

作者：Huang Bohr Ran; Chen Huang Chin; Jou Shyankay^*; Lin I Nan

来源：Vacuum, 2009, 84(1): 111-114.

DOI：10.1016/j.vacuum.2009.04.056

• Electron field emission
• Ultra-nanocrystalline diamond
• Silicon nanorods

The electron field emission (EFE) properties of silicon nanostructures (SiNSs) coated with ultra-nanocrystalline diamond (UNCD) were characterized. The SiNS, comprising cauliflower-like grainy structure and nanorods, was generated by reaction of a Si substrate with an Au film at 1000 degrees C, and used as templates to grow UNCD. The UNCD films were deposited by microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (MPECVD) using methane and argon as reaction gases. The UNCD films can be grown on the SiNS with or without ultrasonication pretreatment with diamond particles. The EFE properties of the SiNS were improved by adding an UNCD film. The turn-on field (E(0)) decreased from 17.6V/mu m for the SiNS to 15.2 V/mu m for the UNCD/SiNS, and the emission current density increased from 0.095 to 3.8 mA/cm(2) at an electric field of 40V/mu m. Ultrasonication pretreatments of SiNS with diamond particles varied the structure and EFE properties of the UNCD/SiNS. It is shown that the ultrasonication pretreatment degraded the field emission properties of the UNCD/SiNS in this study.

• 出版日期2009-8-25