Electron field emission from amorphous tetrahedrally bonded carbon films

Electron field emission from two amorphous, tetrahedrally bonded diamondlike carbon films, one with (a-tC:N), and a second without nitrogen doping (a-tC), prepared by pulsed laser deposition has been investigated using a scanning probe apparatus with micrometer spatial resolution. Electric fields of 100 V/mu m (180 V/mu m) were required to initiate emission from our a-tC:N (a-tC) films; however, once emission was established at a particular location, electrons could be drawn at average fields as low as 10 V/mu m (60 V/mu m) from the same region. The initiation of emission was concomitant with electrical discharges which were observed by video techniques. These discharges left craters with micrometer dimensions on the surfaces of otherwise smooth films. (C) 1996 American Vacuum Society.