Electron field emission from cluster-assembled carbon thin films

Cluster-assembled carbon films deposited at room temperature from a superso nic cluster beam are found to be good electron field emitters. The films ha ve been characterized by Raman spectroscopy showing a largely sp(2) bonded character. Scanning Electron Microscopy shows that the films have a low-den sity granular structure, characterized by voids on the nanoscale. We have o bserved a threshold field of 0.75 V/mu m for an emission current density of 1 mu A/cm(2), among the lowest values reported for a carbon phase. The obs erved field emission characteristics suggest that this nanostructured mater ial may be interesting for fiat panel display applications.