Microfabrication and characterization of an array of diode electron sourceusing amorphous diamond thin films

Details are given of an experimental study of microfabrication and characte rization of a diode electron source using amorphous diamond (a-D) thin film s. [100] n-type etched Si wafers with microscale-rough surface were used as cathode substrates. Filtered cathodic vacuum arc deposition technique was employed to coat a thin layer of a-D film on the Si substrate. Using the co nventional photolithography, an array of well-defined diode structures with 20 mum gate diameter were formed. In addition, x-ray energy dispersive spe ctroscopy and atomic force microscopy were used to characterize the diode s tructure. Furthermore, the total emission current versus applied gate volta ge of the diode electron source was measured. The physics of the emission p rocess from the a-D diode was discussed. (C) 2000 American Institute of Phy sics. [S0003-6951(00)04543-5].