CHEMICAL-VAPOR-DEPOSITION AND PLASMA-ENHANCED CHEMICAL-VAPOR-DEPOSITION CARBONIZATION OF SILICON MICROTIPS

Silicon microtips for field emission applications were coated with thin silicon carbide layers by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and plasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD) at temperatures of 800 to 1200-degrees-C using propane or a methane/propane mixture as carbon sources. Coatings from 4 to 30 nm thick were obtained. Scanning electron microscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy were used to investigate the morphology and composition of the carbonized tips. Both silicon carbide and pure carbon coatings could be formed depending on the process parameters used. Sharp carbonized tips were obtained by PECVD using propane flow concentrations.