Field emission from nitrogen doped tetrahedral amorphous carbon prepared by filtered cathodic vacuum are technique

A study of field emission from nitrogen doped tetrahedral amorphous' carbon (ta-C:N) films prepared by the filtered cathodic vacuum are (FCVA) deposition technique is reported. Field emission from ta-C:N films deposited on Si substrates was investigated in a diode configuration at room temperature and base pressure of 2.0 X 10(-6) Torr. The J-E curves shift significantly towards the low potential side with increasing nitrogen concentration. The lowest field at which field emission was obtained was 10 V mu m(-1). A current density of 0.1 mA mm(-2) (assuming the entire film surface is emitting) at 50 V mu m(-1) was obtained from these films. Electronic parameters, i.e., the band gap energy and activation energy were measured in order to construct an energy band dial:ram for the heterojunction structure, and the field emission mechanism is proposed based on this structure. (C) 1998 American Vacuum Society.