Electron transport and electron field emission of nanodiamond synthesized by explosive detonation

Electron transport and electron field emission of nanometer-size diamond po wders coated on quartz and n(+)-type Si substrates have been characterized. The nanodiamond powders were synthesized by explosive detonation. The meas urement of temperature-dependent conductivity shows that the conduction of the nanodiamond coating is non-Arrhenius leading to an interesting behavior at low temperatures. The material shows a good behavior of electron field emission. In the electric field range from 3 to 5 V/mu m, the emission can be approximately described by the Fowler-Nordheim (F-N) equation. A stable emission current density as high as similar to 95 mA/cm(2) was obtained und er an applied field of 5 V/mu m. It has been suggested that the novel elect ron transport and the high emission current density of the samples might or iginate from their non-continuous network structure of the nanodiamond part icles. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.