Nitrogen-doped diamond films selected-area deposition by the plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition process

The nitrogen-doped diamond films have been successfully synthesized by usin g urea as the nitrogen source. Selected-area deposition of diamond nuclei w as formed by using a SiO2 layer as the masking material. Diamond pacts, aro und 9 mu m in diameter, were obtained when the N-doped diamond films were d eposited on these patterned diamond nuclei using the chemical vapor deposit ion process. An emission current density as high as 200 mu A/cm(2), with a turn-on field of around 8 V/mu m, was obtained. However, the diamond emitte rs broke down easily, which is ascribed to the localized melting of the sub strate materials surrounding the diamond pads. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S. A. All rights reserved.