Electron field emission from a patterned diamondlike carbon flat cathode

A 300-nm-thick diamondlike carbon (DLC) film was deposited on to a heavily doped n-type Si (111) wafer by filtered are deposition. A flat thin film cy lindrical emitter array was then fabricated by reactive-ion etching the DLC film. Its electron field emission properties were studied using a simple d iode structure. A field emission current of 0.1 mu A was detected under an electric field of 5.2 V/mu m. As large as 64.1 mA/cm(2) of field emission c urrent density was achieved after an activation process under a 39 V/mu m f ield. An image formed on the anode screen showed that electron field emissi on from the DLC flat emitter array is rather uniform. The field emission be havior is also consistent with Fowler-Nordheim theory. Hydrogen plasma surf ace treatments were found to enhance the field emission properties. (C) 199 9 American Vacuum Society. [S0734-211X(99)09002-2].