Silicon-incorporated diamond-like carbon (Si-DLC) films were deposited via dc plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), on glass and alumina substrates at a substrate temperature 300 degrees C. The precursor gas used was acetylene and for Si incorporation, tetraethyl orthosilicate dissolved in methanol was used. Si atomic percentage in the films was varied from 0% to 19.3% as measured from energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). The binding energies of C 1s, Si 2s and Si 2p were determined from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic studies. We have observed low-macroscopic field electron emission from Si-DLC thin films deposited on glass substrates. The emission properties have been studied for a fixed anode-sample separation of 80 mu m for different Si atomic percentages in the films. The turn-on field was also found to vary from 16.19 to 3.61 V/mu m for a fixed anode-sample separation of 80 mu m with a variation of silicon atomic percentage in the films 0% to 19.3%. The turn-on field and approximate work function are calculated and we have tried to explain the emission mechanism there from. It was found that the turn-on field and effective emission barrier were reduced by Si incorporation than undoped DLC. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.