Formation of field-emission emitters by microwave plasma-chemical synthesis of nanocarbon structures

A nanocarbon-emitter technology for integrated field-emission elements has been developed. The modes in which various carbon film structures of diamond, graphite, and graphene-like types are produced were determined. The low-temperature method of obtaining ultradispersed diamonds was examined. It is shown that the high-emission properties of nanodiamond-graphite emitters result from the self-organization of diamond nanocrystals in a graphite film in the course of deposition from ethanol vapor at low pressure with the use of a strongly nonequilibrium microwave plasma. The following parameters of integrated field-emission diodes were obtained: emission threshold of 2.5 V/μm and emission current density of 1.75 A/cm2. The highest current density of more than 20 A/cm2 was obtained in a study of blade-type emitters.