Enhancement of electron emission characteristics of platform-shaped Mo emitters by diamond-like carbon coatings

The effect of diamond-like carbon (DLC) films coated by the pulsed laser de position technique on the electron field emission characteristics of platfo rm-shaped Mo emitters was investigated. It was observed that DLC coatings c an significantly enhance electron emission. The gate-to-cathode operating v oltage(for an anode current density of 1 mA/cm(2)) was lowered from 50 V fo r uncoated platform-shaped Mo emitters to 20 V for DLC-coated platform-shap ed Mo emitters. The lifetime bf the DLC-coated emitters is at least twice t hat of the uncoated ones. Moreover, the DLC-coated platform-shaped Mo emitt ers, exhibited durability superior to that of the DLC-coatect Spindt-type e mitters, which was due to the abundance of emission sites in the platform-s haped Mo emitters.