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Field Emission and Nanostructure of Carbon Films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

V. I. Merkulov ,
D. H. Lowndes  and
L. R. Baylor
V. I. Merkulov
Affiliation:
Solid State Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, merkulov@solid.ssd.ornl.gov
D. H. Lowndes
Affiliation:
Solid State Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, merkulov@solid.ssd.ornl.gov
L. R. Baylor
Affiliation:
Fusion Energy Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831
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Abstract

The results of field emission measurements of various forms of carbon films are reported. It is shown that the films' nanostructure is a crucial factor determining the field emission properties. In particular, smooth, pulsed-laser deposited amorphous carbon films with both high and low sp3 contents are poor field emitters. This is similar to the results obtained for smooth nanocrystalline, sp2 - bonded carbon films. In contrast, carbon films prepared by hot-filament chemical vapor deposition (HF-CVD) exhibit very good field emission properties, including low emission turn-on fields, high emission site density, and excellent durability. HF-CVD carbon films were found to be predominantly sp2 -bonded. However, surface morphology studies show that these films are thoroughly nanostructured, which is believed to be responsible for their promising field emission properties.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 593: Symposium U – Amorphous & Nanostructured Carbon , 1999 , 221
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2000

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References

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