GROWTH OF DIAMOND PARTICLES ON SHARPENED SILICON TIPS FOR FIELD-EMISSION

Preparation and field-emission characteristics of silicon tips coated by diamond particles are described. The particles grew by a hot-filame nt CVD process preferentially on the very ends of the tips. An explana tion is given for the preferential deposition based on the idea that t he real temperature of the ends is markedly, about 200 degrees C, grea ter than the average temperature of the tips. Field-emission measureme nts showed that diamond-coated silicon tips can give currents as large as 500 mu A before they are destroyed, at least one order of magnitud e larger than uncoated silicon tips. The temporal stability of the emi ssion current was high.