Diamond Field Emission Source using Transfer Mold Technique Prepared by Diamond Powder Seeding

Abstract

Diamond thin films fabricated by MPCVD (microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition) are available for use as a field emitter material, because of its high mechanical quality, thermal conductivity, chemical stability, environmental tolerance, and NEA (negative electron affinity). Diode and triode emitter arrays using P-doped polycrystalline diamond were manufactured on a SiO2/Si(100) substrate with reverse pyramids formed by the transfer mold technique. As the diamond nucleation process, spin-coat seeding with pure diamond powder dispersed in isoamyl acetate has been introduced in place of the bias method. SEM (scanning electron microscopy) images and Raman spectroscopy indicate that the crystal quality of the diamond thin film fabricated by spin-coat seeding is superior to that fabricated by the bias method. The diamond crystal completely grew on top of the diode emitter by the US (ultrasonic) treatment in a diamond powder solution before spin-coat seeding. The tip radius was smaller than 50 nm. The beginning voltage of the emission of the diode emitter is 3 V after the DC glow discharge treatment in H2, which is lower than that of an emitter array fabricated by the bias method, 40 V. On the other hand, the emission of the diamond triode emitter starts at a gate voltage of only 0.5 V, and the emission current of 50∼60 mA is obtained at a gate voltage of 2 V.