Annealing effect on the electron field emission characteristics of pulsed laser deposited diamond-like carbon films an glass substrates

The electron field emission properties of the diamond-like carbon (DLC) fil ms prepared by the pulsed laser deposition process were observed to change significantly with the substrate temperature and the laser fluence. Raman s pectroscopic analyses indicated that the substrate: temperature and laser f luence pronouncedly modify the sp(3)-bonds content of the DLC films. Larger proportion of sp(3)-bonds resulted in higher emission current density (J(e )). Post-annealing process lowers the proportion of sp(3)-bonds. The optimu m electron field emission behavior obtained is emission current density (J( e))(DLC) = 480 mu A/cm(2), turn-on field (E-0)(DLC) = 8 V/mu m and effectiv e work function (phi(e))(DLC) = 0.0546 eV. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. A ll rights reserved.