ELECTRON-EMISSION AND STRUCTURE PROPERTIES OF CESIATED CARBON-FILMS PREPARED BY NEGATIVE CARBON ION-BEAM

The work function, field emission property (turn-on field), and Auger electron spectroscopy of cesiated carbon films on Si (100) have been i nvestigated for codeposition of Cs neutral and C- ion beams at differe nt energies (25-150 eV). The higher energy (150 eV) C- ion beam produc es the lower work function surface (1.1 eV) as well as sp(3) rich carb on film. The work function depends both on cesium concentration as wel l as on the sp(3) fraction in the carbon films. The turn-on field of t he film can be as low as 7 V/mu m. The thermal stability of the low wo rk function surface has been investigated for postdeposition annealing up to 600 degrees C. An extremely high stability cold cathode has bee n made by forming cesium carbide. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physi cs.