Influence of the microwave plasma deposition regime on the field-electron emission characteristics of nanodiamond-graphite composite films

Abstract

It is established that the field electron emission characteristics of nanodiamond-graphite com posite films deposited in nonequilibrium microwave plasma of low pressure ethanol vapor depend on the deposition regime. The effect is explained in terms of the cluster model of deposited hydrogenated amor phous carbon (a C:H) structure. By selecting a deposition regime so as to reduce the content of bound hydro gen in deposited carbon structures, it is possible to provide for a four to sixfold decrease in the threshold field of field electron emission as compared to that in a C:H films obtained by other methods.