Investigations of surface damage and conduction mechanisms during field emission from chemical vapor deposited diamond and diamond-like carbon films

The field emission properties of undoped CVD diamond and DLC films prepared under different deposition conditions are measured. Scanning electron micr oscopy and laser Raman mapping are used to investigate the nature and appea rance of the damage site after testing. These observations, together with t he mathematical form of the observed current voltage relations, are consist ent with a model for the overall emission current combining conduction mech anisms through the bulk of the film with Fowler-Nordheim tunnelling at the surface.