Microstructural evolution as a function of substrate temperature (T S) for conducting ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) films is systematically studied. Variation of the sp2 graphitic and sp3 diamond content with T S in the films is analysed from the Raman and near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure spectra. Morphological and microstructural studies confirm that at T S = 700 °C well-defined acicular structures evolve. These nanowire structures comprise sp3 phased diamond, encased in a sheath of sp2 bonded graphitic phase. T S causes a change in morphology and thereby the various properties of the films. For T S = 800 °C the acicular grain growth ceases, while that for T S = 700 °C ceases only upon termination of the deposition process. The grain-growth process for the unique needle-like granular structure is proposed such that the CN species invariably occupy the tip of the nanowire, promoting an anisotropic grain-growth process and the formation of acicular structure of the grains. The electron field emission studies substantiate that the films grown at T S = 700 °C are the most conducting, with conduction mediated through the graphitic phase present in the films.

Significant difference was observed for the simultaneous detection of dopamine (DA), ascorbic acid (AA), and uric acid (UA) mixture using nitrogen incorporated diamond nanowire (DNW) film electrodes grown by microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. For the simultaneous sensing of ternary mixtures of DA, AA, and UA, well-separated voltammetric peaks are obtained using DNW film electrodes in differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) measurements. Remarkable signals in cyclic voltammetry responses to DA, AA and UA (three well defined voltammetric peaks at potentials around 235, 30, 367 mV for DA, AA and UA respectively) and prominent enhancement of the voltammetric sensitivity are observed at the DNW electrodes. In comparison to the DPV results of graphite, glassy carbon and boron doped diamond electrodes, the high electrochemical potential difference is achieved via the use of the DNW film electrodes which is essential for distinguishing the aforementioned analytes. The enhancement in EC properties is accounted for by increase in sp(2) content, new C-N bonds at the diamond grains, and increase in the electrical conductivity at the grain boundary, as revealed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and near edge X-ray absorption fine structure measurements. Consequently, the DNW film electrodes provide a clear and efficient way for the selective detection of DA in the presence of AA and UA.

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Copper ion implantation and subsequent annealing at 600 C achieved high electrical conductivity of 95.0 (Xcm) À1 for ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) films with carrier concentration of 2.8 Â 10 18 cm À2 and mobility of 6.8 Â 10 2 cm 2 /V s. Transmission electron microscopy examinations reveal that the implanted Cu ions first formed Cu nanoclusters in UNCD films, which induced the formation of nanographitic grain boundary phases during annealing process. From current imaging tunneling spectroscopy and local current-voltage curves of scanning tunneling spectroscopic measurements, it is observed that the electrons are dominantly emitted from the grain boundaries. Consequently, the nanographitic phases presence in the grain boundaries formed conduction channels for efficient electron transport, ensuing in excellent electron field emission (EFE) properties for copper ion implanted/annealed UNCD films with low turn-on field of 4.80 V/lm and high EFE current density of 3.60 mA/cm 2 at an applied field of 8.0 V/lm. V

Carbon nanomaterials such as nanotubes, nanoflakes/nanowalls, and graphene have been used as electron sources due to their superior field electron emission (FEE) characteristics. However, these materials show poor stability and short lifetimes, which prevent their use in practical device applications. The aim of this study was to find an innovative nanomaterial possessing both high robustness and reliable FEE behavior. Herein, a hybrid structure of self-organized multi-layered graphene (MLG)-boron doped diamond (BDD) nanowall materials with superior FEE characteristics was successfully synthesized using a microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that the as-prepared carbon clusters have a uniform, dense, and sharp nanowall morphology with sp diamond cores encased by an sp MLG shell. Detailed nanoscale investigations conducted using peak force-controlled tunneling atomic force microscopy show that each of the core-shell structured carbon cluster fields emits electrons equally well. The MLG-BDD nanowall materials show a low turn-on field of 2.4 V μm, a high emission current density of 4.2 mA cm at an applied field of 4.0 V μm, a large field enhancement factor of 4500, and prominently high lifetime stability (lasting for 700 min), which demonstrate the superiority of these materials over other hybrid nanostructured materials. The potential of these MLG-BDD hybrid nanowall materials in practical device applications was further illustrated by the plasma illumination behavior of a microplasma device with these materials as the cathode, where a low threshold voltage of 330 V (low threshold field of 330 V mm) and long plasma stability of 358 min were demonstrated. The fabrication of these hybrid nanowalls is straight forward and thereby opens up a pathway for the advancement of next-generation cathode materials for high brightness electron emission and microplasma-based display devices.