Effect of carbon nitride bonding structure on electron field emission

Predominant formation of tetrahedral C-N bonds was obtained by in situ ion bombardment at 600 degrees C. Tetrahedral carbon nitride (CN) films emit el ectrons at lower threshold field compared with PT-prepared samples, that do minated by graphite-like C=N bonds. Likewise, annealing RT-prepared CN film s can eliminate the graphite-like C=N bonds while the content of tetrahedra l C-N bonds remains. Field emission from annealed films occurred at lower t hreshold field as well. It is suggested that graphite-like C=N bonds within graphitic basal planes that are aligned nearly parallel to the substrate s urface must be suppressed to avoid electron drifting in the direction perpe ndicular to the applied electric field. Furthermore, randomly distributed s p(3) C-N bonds appear to enable conducting path formation preferentially al ong the direction of the electric field. A model is proposed to explain the improvement in electron field emission. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.