The field emission properties of silicon carbide whiskers grown by CVD

Silicon carbide whiskers and films were grown by chemical vapor deposition without a metallic catalyst in the temperature range between 1000 degreesC and 1150 degreesC, and at a constant pressure and input gas ratio [H-2/MTS(Methyltrichlorosilane)] of 5 Torr and 30, respectively. The mean diameter of whiskers increased from 96 nm to 1.24 mum as the deposition temperature increased up to 1100 degreesC. Further increasing of the growth temperature made the growth mechanism transfer from whisker growth to film growth and the surface morphology adopted a pebble-like structure. Silicon carbide whiskers and films showed cold field emission properties and the whiskers, which were obtained, at a temperature of 1050 degreesC showed relatively good field emission properties. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.