Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B, Vol.17, No.2, 486-488, 1999
Emission stability of a diamond-like carbon coated metal-tip field emitter array
The emission stability of Mo-tip field emitter arrays (FEAs) has been improved. The effect of diamond-like carbon (DLC) films deposited using a layer-by-layer technique using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition on the electron emission characteristics of Mo-tip FEAs was examined. The turn-on voltage was lowered from 80 V for Mo-tip FEAs to 65 V for DLC-coated Mo-tip FEAs, and the maximum emission current increased from 140 mu A for Mo-tip FEAs to 320 mu A for DLC-coated Mo-tip FEAs composed of 900 emitters. An anode current for DLC-coated Mo-tip FEAs and Mo tip of 0.1 mu A per emitter was measured at gate voltages of about 87 and 107 V, respectively. The emission current of DLC-coated Mo-tip FEAs is more stable than that of Mo-tip FEAs.