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On the role of graphite in ultrananocrystalline diamond films used for electron field emitter applications (Phys. Status Solidi A 10∕2014)
Author(s) -
Kurian Joji,
Sankaran Kamatchi Jothiramalingam,
Lin INan
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
physica status solidi (a)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.532
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1862-6319
pISSN - 1862-6300
DOI - 10.1002/pssa.201470263
Subject(s) - diamond , field electron emission , materials science , conductivity , graphite , electron , grain boundary , doping , nanotechnology , graphene , ion , dopant , optoelectronics , composite material , chemistry , physics , microstructure , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics
The Feature Article on pp. 2223–2237 gives an account of the different pieces of work conducted by various groups around the world, aimed at constituting a single model to explain the enhancement of conductivity and electron field emission properties in diamond. Kurian et al. reveal that, from the studies on the enhancement of field emission and conductivity brought about by employing different approaches like ion irradiation, ion implantation, ion doping in the plasma or formation of composite films, the betterment of the field emission properties and conductivity is attributed to interconnected sp 2 phases within the grain boundaries which form itineraries for electrons to traverse through the material. The effect of n‐type or p‐type doping into diamond is ruled out. Among the different approaches for enhancing the conductivity of ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) films, the films grown in CH 4 /N 2 plasma, N‐UNCD, containing a unique granular structure of needle‐like diamond grains encased with graphene‐like layers, possess the highest electrical conductivity of σ = 275 (Ω cm) ‐1 and thus exhibit the best electron field emission properties. A flexible field emission display prototype has been demonstrated by transferring N‐UNCD pyramidal emitters onto polynorbornene (PNB) substrates.