Effect of surface treatment on the electron field emission property of nano-diamond films

• Published in: Diamond and related materials Vol. 14; no. 11; pp. 2055 - 2058
• Main Authors: Lee, Yen-Chih, Pradhan, Debabrata, Lin, Su-Jien, Chia, Chih-Ta, Cheng, Hsiu-Fung, Lin, I-Nan
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.11.2005; Elsevier
• Subjects: Boron doping; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Electron and ion emission by liquids and solids; impact phenomena; Electron field emission; Exact sciences and technology; Field emission, ionization, evaporation, and desorption; Materials science; Nano-diamond; Nanocrystalline materials; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Physics; Surface treatment; Boron doping; Nano-diamond; Electron field emission; Surface treatment; Grain size; Raman spectra; Nucleation; Synthetic mineral; Phase transformations; Microwave radiation; Diamonds; Surface treatments; Experimental study; Ion beams; CVD; Nonmetals; Morphology; PECVD; Nanostructured materials; Defect formation; Nanocrystal
• ISSN: 0925-9635; 1879-0062
• DOI: 10.1016/j.diamond.2005.08.059

Nano-diamond films having grain size around 20 nm were deposited by bias enhanced growth (BEG) method. Different surface treatments were carried out to increase their field emission properties and their effects are clearly noticed. Surface morphology of different surface treated nano-diamond films was examined. There was no significant change in the curve of Raman spectra of different surface treated samples. Raman spectra were typically of similar nature to nano-diamond film. Field emission results were more interesting. Biased in hydrogen plasma treated nano-diamond film has shown best electron emission behavior and low turn-on-field ( E 0). The turn-on-field of bias-treated nano-diamond film was 19.5 V/μm. The decrease of turn-on-field (∼6 V/μm) of biased treated nano-diamond film from as-grown BEG film was attributed to the formation of thin sp 2 layer and more defects on the surface of film by hydrogen ion bombardment. Moreover, hydrogen-plasma treated nano-diamond film was also found to be good for electron emission but there was no improvement in electron emission as in the case of air plasma treated nano-diamond films.