Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Field Emission and Electric Discharge of Nanocrystalline Diamond Films

  • Published:
Journal of Electronic Materials Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films were produced by microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (MPECVD) using gas mixtures of Ar, H2, and CH4. The structural properties, electron emission, and electric discharge behaviors of the NCD films varied with H2 flow rates during MPECVD. The turn-on field for electron emission at a pressure of 2.66 × 10−4 Pa increased from 4.2 V μm−1 for the NCD films that were deposited using a H2 flow rate of 10 cm3 min−1 to 7 V μm−1 for films deposited at a H2 flow rate of 20 cm3 min−1. The NCD film with a low turn-on field also induced low breakdown voltages in N2. The grain size and roughness of the NCD films may influence both the electron emission and the electric discharge behaviors of the NCD cathodes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. N. S. Xu, and S. E. Huq, Mater. Sci. Eng. R 48, 47 (2005). doi:10.1016/j.mser.2004.12.001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. A. A. Talin, L. S. Pan, K. F. McCarty, T. E. Felter, H. J. Doerr, and R. F. Bunshah, Appl. Phys. Lett. 69, 3842 (1996). doi:10.1063/1.117123.

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. C. Wang, A. Garcia, D. C. Ingram, M. Lake, and M. E. Kordesch, Electron. Lett. 27, 1459 (1991). doi:10.1049/el:19910914.

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. N. S. Xu, J. Chen, J. C. She, S. Z. Deng, and J. Chen, J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 33, 2568 (2000). doi:10.1088/0022-3727/33/20/308.

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. S. Jou, H. J. Doerr, and R. F. Bunshah, Thin Solid Films 253, 95 (1994). doi:10.1016/0040-6090(94)90301-8.

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. S. Prawer, K. W. Nugent, Y. Lifshitz, G. D. Lempert, E. Grossman, J. Kulik, I. Avigal, and R. Kalish, Diamond Relat. Mater. 5, 433 (1996). doi:10.1016/0925-9635(95)00363-0.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. S. F. Yoon, H. Yang, R. J. Ahn, and Q. Zhang, J. Electron. Mater. 27, 44 (1998). doi:10.1007/s11664-998-0336-4.

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. N. S. Xu, J. Chen, S. Z. Deng, K. H. Wu, and E. G. Wang, J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 33, 1572 (2000). doi:10.1088/0022-3727/33/13/302.

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. I. Kleps, A. Angelescu, N. Samfirescu, A. Gil, and A. Correia, Solid State Electron. 45, 997 (2001). doi:10.1016/S0038-1101(01)00148-4.

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. W. P. Kang, J. L. Davidson, Q. Li, J. F. Xu, D. L. Kinser, and D. V. Kerns, Sens. Actuators A 54, 724 (1996). doi:10.1016/S0924-4247(97)80046-5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. D. Hong, and M. Aslam, Proceedings of the IEEE IVMC, Portland, OR (1995), p. 335.

  12. D. Nicolaescu, V. Filip, J. Itoh, and F. Okuyama, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 18, 1077 (2000). doi:10.1116/1.591332.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. I.-M. Choi, and S.-Y. Woo, Appl. Phys. Lett. 87, 173104 (2005). doi:10.1063/1.2112184.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. S. J. Kim, J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 39, 3026 (2006). doi:10.1088/0022-3727/39/14/022.

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. A. Modl, N. Koratkar, E. Lass, B. Wei, and P. M. Ajayan, Nature 424, 171 (2003). doi:10.1038/nature01777.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  16. P. Osmokrović, I. Krivokapić, D. Matijašević, and N. Kartalović, IEEE Trans. Power Delivery 11, 260 (1996). doi:10.1109/61.484024.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. R. Rosen, W. Simendinger, C. Debbault, H. Shimoda, L. Fleming, B. Stoner, and O. Zhou, Appl. Phys. Lett. 76, 1668 (2000). doi:10.1063/1.126130.

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. S. J. Park, J. G. Eden, and K.-H. Park, Appl. Phys. Lett. 84, 4481 (2004). doi:10.1063/1.1755845.

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. S. G. Wang, Q. Zhang, S. F. Yoon, J. Ahn, D. J. Yang, Q. Wang, Q. Zhou, and J. Q. Li, Diamond Relat. Mater. 12, 8 (2003). doi:10.1016/S0925-9635(02)00242-X.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. K. A. Dean, and B. R. Chalamala, Appl. Phys. Lett. 76, 375 (2000). doi:10.1063/1.125758.

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. D. S. Knight, and W. B. White, Proc. SPIE 1055, 144 (1989).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. C. Casiraghi, F. Piazza, A. C. Ferrari, D. Grambole, and J. Robertson, Diamond Relat. Mater. 14, 1098 (2005). doi:10.1016/j.diamond.2004.10.030.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. M. Kahn, M. Cekada, R. Berghauser, W. Waldhauser, C. Bauer, C. Mitterer, and E. Brandstätter, Diamond Relat. Mater. 17, 1647 (2008). doi:10.1016/j.diamond.2008.02.010.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. R. Pfeiffer, H. Kauzmany, P. Knoll, S. Bokova, N. Salk, and B. Gunther, Diamond Relat. Mater. 12, 268 (2003). doi:10.1016/S0925-9635(02)00336-9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. L. C. Nistor, J. V. Landuyt, V. G. Ralchenko, E. D. Obraztsova, and A. A. Smolin, Diamond Relat. Mater. 6, 159 (1997). doi:10.1016/S0925-9635(96)00743-1.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Y. K. Liu, C. Liu, Y. Chen, Y. Tzeng, P. L. Tso, and I. N. Lin, Diamond Relat. Mater. 13, 671 (2004). doi:10.1016/j.diamond.2003.11.088.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. S. M. Leeds, T. J. Davis, P. W. May, C. D. O. Pickard, and M. N. R. Ashfold, Diamond Relat. Mater. 7, 233 (1998). doi:10.1016/S0925-9635(97)00261-6.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. M. Hiramatsu, C. H. Lau, A. Bennett, and J. S. Foord, Thin Solid Films 407, 18 (2002). doi:10.1016/S0040-6090(02)00006-8.

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. A. Kromka, J. Breza, M. Kadlečíková, J. Janík, and F. Balon, Carbon 43, 425 (2005). doi:10.1016/j.carbon.2004.10.004.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. S. Prawer, K. W. Nugent, D. N. Jamieson, J. O. Orwa, L. A. Bursill, and J. L. Peng, Chem. Phys. Lett. 332, 93 (2000). doi:10.1016/S0009-2614(00)01236-7.

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. F. Lacher, C. Wild, D. Behr, and P. Koidl, Diamond Relat. Mater. 6, 1111 (1997). doi:10.1016/S0925-9635(97)00020-4.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. V. V. Zhirnov, G. J. Wojak, W. B. Choi, J. J. Cuomo, and J. J. Hren, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 15, 1733 (1997). doi:10.1116/1.580929.

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. J.-M. Torres, and R. S. Dhariwal, Nanotechnology 10, 102 (1992). doi:10.1088/0957-4484/10/1/020.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  34. A. Wallash, and L. Levit, Proc. SPIE 4980, 87 (2003). doi:10.1117/12.478191.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Y. P. Raizer, Gas Discharge Physics (Berlin: Springer Verlag, 1991), p 134.

    Google Scholar 

  36. P. G. Slade, and E. D. Taylor, IEEE Trans. Compon. Packag. Technol. 25, 390 (2002). doi:10.1109/TCAPT.2002.804615.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. P. K. Bachmann, V. Van Elsbergen, D. U. Weichert, G. Zhong, and J. Robertson, Diamond Rel. Mater. 10, 809 (2001). doi:10.1016/S0925-9635(01)00377-6.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Y. Matsunaga, T. Kato, T. Hatori, and S. Hashiguchi, J. Appl. Phys. 93, 5043 (2003). doi:10.1063/1.1567034.

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. C.-F. Hsieh, and S. Jou, Microelectron. J. 37, 867 (2006). doi:10.1016/j.mejo.2006.03.003.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the National Science Council of ROC for financially supporting this research under Contract No. NSC 96-2221-E-011-173-MY3. The Center for Micro/Nano Science and Technology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, is appreciated for its equipment and technical support. Ted Knoy is appreciated for his editorial assistance.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electronic Engineering, Graduate Institute of Electro-Optical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, 106, Taiwan, R.O.C

    Bohr-Ran Huang

  2. Graduate Institute of Materials Science and Technology, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, 106, Taiwan, R.O.C

    Shyankay Jou

  3. Department of Electronic Engineering, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Yunlin, 640, Taiwan, R.O.C

    Meng-Chang wu

Authors
  1. Bohr-Ran Huang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Shyankay Jou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Meng-Chang wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shyankay Jou.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Huang, BR., Jou, S. & wu, MC. Field Emission and Electric Discharge of Nanocrystalline Diamond Films. J. Electron. Mater. 38, 750–755 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-009-0706-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-009-0706-6

Key words

Search

Navigation