ENERGY-DISTRIBUTION OF FIELD EMITTED ELECTRONS FROM DIAMOND-COATED MOLYBDENUM TIPS

Field emission energy distribution (FEED) measurements were performed on Mo and diamond coated Mo tips under ultrahigh vacuum conditions to investigate the origin of field emitted electrons. Mo emitters were pr epared by electrochemical etching and were subsequently coated with di amond powder by a dielectrophoretic procedure, Field emission energy s pectra were taken on the same samples before and after diamond coating , Irt vacuo thermal annealing of coated samples was essential to obtai n stable held emission, FEED data indicated that the field emission cu rrent orignated from the diamond/vacuum interface, and that electrons were emitted from the conduction band minimum of diamond. (C) 1997 Ame rican Institute of Physics.