Enhanced field emission from ZnO nanoneedles on chemical vapour deposited diamond films

• Published in: Thin solid films Vol. 518; no. 14; pp. 3743 - 3747
• Main Authors: Marathe, Sonali, Koinkar, Pankaj, Ashtaputre, Shriwas, Sathe, Vasant, More, M.A., Kulkarni, S.K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 03.05.2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Chemical deposition; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Diamond thin film; Electron and ion emission by liquids and solids; impact phenomena; Exact sciences and technology; Field emission; Field emission, ionization, evaporation, and desorption; Field-enhancement factor; Fullerenes and related materials; diamonds, graphite; Materials science; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Other topics in nanoscale materials and structures; Physics; Raman spectroscopy; Specific materials; Structure and morphology; thickness; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thin film structure and morphology; X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy; Zinc oxide; Chemical deposition; Field-enhancement factor; Zinc oxide; Field emission; Raman spectroscopy; X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy; Diamond thin film; Scanning electron microscopy; X-ray microscopy; Synthetic diamond; Nanoneedle; High field; Silicon; Current density; Nanostructured materials; X-ray photoelectron spectra
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2009.10.118

ZnO nanoneedles were coated on hot filament chemical vapour deposited diamond thin films to enhance the field emission properties of ZnO nanoneedles. The virgin diamond films and ZnO nanoneedles on diamond films were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The field emission studies reveal that the ZnO nanoneedles coated on diamond film exhibit better emission characteristics, with minimum threshold field (required to draw a current density ~ 1 μA/cm 2) as compared to ZnO needles on silicon and virgin diamond films. The better emission characteristic of ZnO nanoneedles on diamond film is attributed to the high field-enhancement factor resulting due to the combined effect of the ZnO nanoneedles and diamond film.