Large and stable field-emission current from heavily Si-doped AlN grown bymetalorganic vapor phase epitaxy

We report on the electron field emission (FE) from heavily Si-doped AlN gro wn by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy. We found that, as the Si-dopant den sity increases, the threshold electric field decreases and, consequently, t he FE current from AlN increases drastically. We show that heavily Si-doped (2.5x10(20) cm(-3)) AlN has a threshold electric field of 34 V/mu m, a max imum FE current density of 4.8 mA/cm(2), and stable FE current (fluctuation : 3%). (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(00)03020-5].