Field Electron Emission From CVD Nanocarbon Films Containing Scrolled Graphene Structures

Electron field emission properties of nanocarbon films produced by plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) were investigated. The films contained nanostructured diamond and graphitic components in different ratios depending on the parameters of the deposition process. Low threshold fields in the range of 1–2 V μm−1 (at 0.1 mA cm−2) are detected for all types of the studied films. It is found that the scrolled graphene structures, contained in the film material, are responsible for the field emission. The individual graphene scrolls show standard Fowler–Nordheim behavior and sustained maximum field emission currents of several microamperes. Long‐time field emission at moderate currents causes partial destruction of the scrolls that significantly changed the threshold field and emission site density of the films. Obtained results show that PECVD growth and post‐treatments allow monitoring of the amount and heights of emission centers providing tailored field emission properties of nanocarbon films for particular applications in vacuum electronic devices.

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