Electron emission characteristics of pulsed laser deposited diamond-like films

Diamond like carbon (DLC) films possessing large electron emission capacity was obtained by pulsed laser deposition process. AFM morphologies and Raman spectra inferred that the proportion of SP/sup 3/-bonds is the predominating factor modifying the field emission characteristics. Large laser fluence and moderately high substrate temperature are thus required. The critical laser fluence needed to deposit DLC films with large emission current density was 10 J/cm/sup 2/ for 248 nm (KrF) laser beams and 4 J/cm/sup 2/ for 193 nm (ArF) laser beams, respectively. The highest emission current density was 80 /spl mu/A/cm/sup 2/ for DLC films deposited at 400/spl deg/C using 248 nm laser beams and was 160 /spl mu/A/cm/sup 2/ for those grown at 200/spl deg/C using 193 nm laser beams. The turn on electric field was, respectively, 11.6 MV/m and 11.4 MV/m.