Synthesis and electron field emission of nanocrystalline diamond thin films grown from N2/CH4 microwave plasmas

Zhou, Daniel K.; Krauss, A. R.; Qin, Lu Chang; McCauley, Thomas G.; Gruen, D. M.; Corrigan, T. D.; Chang, Robert P. H.; Gnaser, Hubert

doi:10.1063/1.366190

Cited by 189 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…For example, CVD technique has been used to synthesis highly oriented diamond thin ®lm [1] and fullerene [2] in the past. More recently, nanocrystalline diamond thin ®lms have been deposited from Ar/CH 4 microwave plasma enhanced CVD without the addition of molecular hydrogen in the reactant gas [3,4]. The nanocrystalline diamond thin ®lms have several desirable characteristics, among them: (a) small grain size and surface roughness of the diamond ®lms, (b) low grain boundary angle, and (c) synthesis from argon domain plasma.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemical vapor deposition of novel carbon materials

et al. 2000

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Nanocrystalline diamond thin ®lms have been prepared using hot ®lament CVD technique with a mixture of CH 4 /H 2 /Ar as the reactant gas. We demonstrated that the ratio of H 2 to Ar in the reactant gas plays an important role in control of the grain size of diamonds and the growth of the nanocrystalline diamonds. In addition, we have investigated the growth of carbon nanotubes from catalytic CVD using a hydrocarbon as the reactant gas. Furthermore, focused ion beam technique has been developed to control the growth of carbon nanotubes individually. q 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemical vapor deposition of novel carbon materials

et al. 2000

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“…The group headed by Gruen further optimized the deposition methodology, using mainly N for the doping and obtaining films with a high degree of conformality and very exciting FE properties. [49][50][51][52][53][54][55] Deep analysis of the films, performed by means of complex scanning probe microscopy methods, has evidenced in such films periodic structures where diamond crystallites are associated to high-conducting inclusions. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) in Spreading Resistance Imaging (SRI) configuration has allowed maps of the conductivity along the film nanostructure to be obtained.…”

Section: Nanodiamond Filmsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nanodiamonds for field emission: state of the art

Terranova

Orlanducci

Rossi³

et al. 2015

Nanoscale

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The aim of this review is to highlight the recent advances and the main remaining challenges related to the issue of electron field emission (FE) from nanodiamonds. The roadmap for FE vacuum microelectronic devices envisages that nanodiamonds could become very important in a short time. The intrinsic properties of the nanodiamond materials indeed meet many of the requirements of cutting-edge technologies and further benefits can be obtained by tailored improvements of processing methodologies. The current strategies used to modulate the morphological and structural features of diamond to produce highly performing emitting systems are reported and discussed. The focus is on the current understanding of the FE process from nanodiamond-based materials and on the major concepts used to improve their performance. A short survey of non-conventional microsized cold cathodes based on nanodiamonds is also reported. IntroductionMiniaturized electron sources based on the field emission (FE) process, namely "cold-cathodes", are nowadays replacing the conventional thermoionic electron sources. FE-based devices are able to operate at high frequency and at high current densities, have no need of heating and are characterized by reduced weight and by instantaneous switching on. Moreover, Maria Letizia TerranovaProfessor of Chemistry at Tor Vergata University of Rome (Italy), Maria Letizia Terranova heads the Minima lab at the Department of Chemical Science and Technology. She has expertise on different scientific topics, including nuclear chemistry, laser-induced reactions in the gas-phase, ion-and laserinduced modifications in solids, electrochemical and vapour deposition processes. Her research activity is mainly focused on the synthesis, processing and functional testing of nanomaterials: carbon nanostructures (nanodiamonds, nanotubes, graphenes, onions), nanocomposites and hybrid organic/ inorganic structures. Materials and systems are produced for applications in micro/nano-electronics, optoelectronics, energetics, sensing, thermal management and bio-related nanotechnologies. She has co-authored 290 papers, 4 patents, and co-edited 4 books. Silvia OrlanducciIn 2004 Fowler-Nordheim and the experiments by Spindt and coworkers 3 paved the way for a number of subsequent researches on FE-based vacuum electronics. The good performance of such devices is based on the fact that, according to the Fowler-Nordheim law, the emitted current density J depends strongly on the local applied electric field E and that geometric factors typical of nanostructures (sharp edges, tips, peaks, nanoprotrusions) locally increase the concentration of electric field at the emitter sites. The ratio of the local field to the applied field, the so-called electric field enhancement factor β, 1 independently of the material, is a key factor influencing the field emission characteristics. In the last two decades the design, realization and application of a new generation of cold cathodes based on advanced nanomaterials have been the object of tremendous i...

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“…The incorporation of nitrogen (N) into conventional microcrystalline diamond (MCD) with micron-sized grains can not effectively improve the conductivity and EFE properties of the films because N-species form deep donor levels and do not enhance the conductivity. 6,7 In contrast, the conductivity and EFE properties of UNCD films can be markedly improved by incorporating N into their grain boundaries. 4,6,7 However, N incorporation via the addition of N 2 gas to the growth plasma is not efficient due to the small size of the UNCD grains.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…6,7 In contrast, the conductivity and EFE properties of UNCD films can be markedly improved by incorporating N into their grain boundaries. 4,6,7 However, N incorporation via the addition of N 2 gas to the growth plasma is not efficient due to the small size of the UNCD grains. On the other hand, ion implantation (or irradiation) has long been used to modify the properties of materials through controlled doping with a variety of dopants.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microstructure evolution and the modification of the electron field emission properties of diamond films by gigaelectron volt Au-ion irradiation

et al. 2011

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The effect of 2.245 GeV Au-ion irradiation and post-annealing processes on the microstructure and electron field emission (EFE) properties of diamond films was investigated. For the microcrystalline diamond (MCD) films, Au-ion irradiation with a fluence of approximately 8.4×1013 ions/cm2 almost completely suppressed the EFE properties of the films. Post-annealing the Au-ion irradiated MCD films at 1000°C for 1 h effectively restored these properties. In contrast, for ultra-nanocrystalline diamond (UNCD) films, the Au-ion irradiation induced a large improvement in the EFE properties, and the post-annealing process slightly degraded the EFE properties of the films. The resulting EFE behavior was still better than that of pristine UNCD films. TEM examination indicated that the difference in Au-ion irradiation/post-annealing effects on the EFE properties of the MCD and UNCD films is closely related to the different phase transformation process involved. This difference is dependent on the different granular structures of these films. The MCD films with large-grain microstructure contain very few grain boundaries of negligible thickness, whereas the UNCD films with ultra-small-grain granular structure contain abundant grain boundaries of considerable thickness. Au-ion irradiation disintegrated the large grains in the MCD films into small diamond clusters embedded in an amorphous carbon (a-C) matrix that suppressed the EFE properties of the MCD films. In contrast, the Au-ion irradiation insignificantly altered the crystallinity of the grains of the UNCD films but transformed the grain boundary phase into nano-graphite, enhancing the EFE properties. The post-annealing process recrystallized the residual a-C phase into nano-graphites for both films

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Synthesis and electron field emission of nanocrystalline diamond thin films grown from N2/CH4 microwave plasmas

Cited by 189 publications

References 20 publications

Chemical vapor deposition of novel carbon materials

Chemical vapor deposition of novel carbon materials

Nanodiamonds for field emission: state of the art

Microstructure evolution and the modification of the electron field emission properties of diamond films by gigaelectron volt Au-ion irradiation

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