Narrow Energy Spread Electron Emission from Si-Tip with Ultra-Thin Diamond Like Carbon Coating

An ultra-thin Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) film was deposited onto a clean Si-tip surface for achieving narrow energy spread electron emission. A narrow energy spread electron emission of 0.63 eV @ 44 nA was obtained from a Si-tip with DLC coating, much narrower than that of the Si-tip without deposited DLC (1.5 eV@ 34nA). The removal of natural oxide on Si surface avoids the electron scattering in oxide layer. The low electron affinity of DLC film reduces the electric field needed for emission and decreases the slope of vacuum energy level, which significantly suppresses the emission of electron from the lower energy level and induces a narrow energy spread of electron emission.