Electron field emission from a patterned diamond-like carbon flat thin film using a Ti interfacial layer

A 200-nm-thick diamond-like carbon film was prepared on Ti-deposited Si (rho <0.01 <Omega> cm) using a filtered are deposition technique. Field-emission properties of it are enhanced as compared to films deposited on Si, showing an increased current and emission site density (similar to1.2X10(3)/cm(2)). A patterned diamond-like carbon flat thin film on Ti-deposited Si fabricated by the oxygen reactive ion-beam etching technique shows further enhanced field-emission properties. An emission site density of 3 x 10(3)/cm(2) was obtained. Field emission could be observed at a field value as low as 2.1 V/mum. It is shown that the low potential barrier at the interface and high local geometric electric field enhancement around the edges produced by reactive ion-beam etching are possible causes for the enhanced effects. It can also be explained by the Gels' metal-diamond-vacuum triple junction emission mechanism. (C) 2000 American Vacuum Society. [S0734-211X(00)02605-6].