Perspective low-macroscopic field (LMF) emission prototype cathodes based on fullerene C60—doped porous silicon were realized via a two-stage technique comprising the electrochemical etching process of a monocrystalline silicon wafer and functionalization of the acquired porous silicon (PS) matrix with silver-doped fullerene-based carbon structures. The resulting LMF cathode prototypes were studied with SEM and EDS techniques. The formation of an amorphous silver-doped C60-based layer consisting of nanosized aggregates on the matrix surface was established. The emission characteristics of the prototypes were analyzed, crucial parameters including threshold field strength values, emission current density, and effective potential barrier height for electrons were considered. A novel LMF emission model is suggested. It was established that the emitter prototypes realized during this study are on par with or superior to modern and promising field cathodes.

Thin films of Mo and Zr were deposited on Si wafers by the magnetron sputtering process with controlled parameters. Correlation between their field-emission properties and surface morphology was investigated. The study results were found to be in good agreement with previous data acquired for carbon nanocluster films, which witnesses that morphology can have greater effect on field emission capability of thin films than their chemical composition and work function.

Thin-film semiconductor devices and functional metal-oxide-semiconductor structures have drawn attention as being applicable for on-chip electronics. Similar structures, however, were also reported to be promising as efficient sources of electrons. This paper presents the results of scanning electron microscopy analysis of molybdenum thin films capable of low-macroscopic-field electron emission. Supposedly, the images show the centres of cold-field emission at different stages of their life cycles from activation to destruction. It is assumed that initially continuous Mo films experience dewetting under heating and ion bombardment, which are caused by the emission current flow. The results contribute to understanding the mechanism of low-field emission from thin metal films, which seems to be different from those previously proposed for thin carbon coatings.

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