Vertically aligned diamond-graphite hybrid nanorod arrays with superior field electron emission properties

R Ramaneti,K Haenen,K C Leou,K J Sankaran,S Korneychuk,I N Lin,M K Van Bael,C J Yeh,J Verbeeck,G Degutis

doi:10.1063/1.4985107

Abstract

A “patterned-seeding technique” in combination with a “nanodiamond masked reactive ion etching process” is demonstrated for fabricating vertically aligned diamond-graphite hybrid (DGH) nanorod arrays. The DGH nanorod arrays possess superior field electron emission (FEE) behavior with a low turn-on field, long lifetime stability, and large field enhancement factor. Such an enhanced FEE is attributed to the nanocomposite nature of the DGH nanorods, which contain sp2-graphitic phases in the boundaries of nano-sized diamond grains. The simplicity in the nanorod fabrication process renders the DGH nanorods of greater potential for the applications as cathodes in field emission displays and microplasma display devices.

Highlights

A field electron emission (FEE) process, in which electrons are extracted from the material surface by quantum mechanical tunneling,[1] is extensively employed in field emission displays (FEDs),[2] backlight units,[3] and electron guns.[4]
We reported the fabrication of diamond-graphitic hybrid (DGH) nanorod arrays via a combination of a novel “patterned-seeding” technique for selective area growth of nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films and a “nanodiamond-masking” technique for reactive ion etching (RIE) of NCD films
Low E0 value of 5.26 V/μm is attained for patterned DGH nanorod arrays, which is markedly smaller than the E0 values of NCD pads [(E0) = 10.42 V/μm; curve II, Fig. 3(a)] or planar NCD films [(E0) = 24.40 V/μm; curve III, Fig. 3(a)]

Summary

Introduction

A field electron emission (FEE) process, in which electrons are extracted from the material surface by quantum mechanical tunneling,[1] is extensively employed in field emission displays (FEDs),[2] backlight units,[3] and electron guns.[4]. 3. (a) The field electron emission properties (J-E curves) with (b) F-N plots for I. patterned DGH nanorod arrays, II.

Results

Conclusion