Field emission properties of two-layer structured SiCN films

The electron emission characteristics of two-layer structured silicon carbo n nitride (SiCN) films, which were composed of amorphous and nanocrystallin e phases, were studied. Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) was us ed to determine the composition of the SiCN film. The ratio (Si;C)/N of the SiCN film was kept at approximately 0.75, which is identical to that of Si 3N4 him. High resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman s pectroscopy were used to investigate the bonding structures of the SiCN fil ms. In comparison with silicon nitride films, the turn-on Voltage (for an e mission current of 0.01 mA/cm(2)) of the SiCN films was rower and the emiss ion current densities of the SiCN significantly enhanced. The promising emi ssion properties of the SiCN film could be due to the unique two-layer stru cture wherein nanocrystalline SiCN was grown on top of the amorphous interl ayer with sp(2) CN bond in the SiCN film. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. Al l rights reserved.