ELECTRON-EMISSION FROM BORON-NITRIDE COATED SI FIELD EMITTERS

Electron emission characteristics of sulfur (S)-doped boron nitride (B N) films synthesized by plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition (PAC VD) are investigated. The BN film consists of hexagonal grains of 3 nm in size. The energy gap is estimated to be as wide as 6.0 eV from ult raviolet-visible optical transmission measurement. The electrical resi stivity is reduced to 4.9 x 10(2) Omega cm. Si tip field emitters coat ed with the BN film are fabricated. The electron emission occurs at an electric field as low as 6 V/mu m, while a high electric field of 20 V/mu m is needed to emit electrons from the Si tip array without BN co ating. It is deduced that the tunneling barrier height of 0.1 eV exist s at the surface of the BN film. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physic s. [S0003-6951(97)00944-3].