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Influence of sulfur incorporation on field-emission properties of microcrystalline diamond thin films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

S. Gupta ,
B.R. Weiner  and
G. Morell
S. Gupta*
Affiliation:
Engineering Department, University of Cambridge, Trumpington Street, CB2 1PZ, United Kingdom
B.R. Weiner
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PO Box 23346, PR00931, Puerto Rico
G. Morell
Affiliation:
Department of Physical Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PO Box 23323, PR00931, Puerto Rico
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: (strictly for correspondence) sgup@rocketmail.com
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Abstract

Results are reported on the electron field emission properties of microcrystalline diamond thin films grown on molybdenum substrates by the sulfur (S)-assisted hot-filament chemical vapor deposition technique using methane (CH4), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and hydrogen (H2) gas mixtures. Electron field-emission measurements revealed that the S-incorporated microcrystalline diamond thin films have substantially lower turn-on fields and steep rising currents as compared to those grown without sulfur. The field-emission properties for the S-incorporated films were also investigated systematically as a function of substrate temperature (TS). Lowest turn-on field achieved was observed at around 12.5 V/μm for the samples grown at TS of 700°C with 500 ppm H2S. To establish the property-structure correlation, we analyzed the films with multiple characterizations include scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman spectroscopy (RS), and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques. It was found that sulfur addition causes significant microstructural changes in microcrystalline diamond thin films. S-assisted films show smoother, coarse-grained surfaces (non-faceted) than those grown without it (well-faceted) and a relatively higher content of non-diamond carbon (primarily sp2-bonded C). RS and investigations on the morphology by SEM and AFM indicated the increase of sp2 C content with increasing TS followed by a morphological transition at 700°C in the films. XPS investigations also showed the incorporation of S in the films up to a few atomic layers. It is believed that the electron-emission properties are governed by the sulfur incorporation during the chemical vapor deposition process. Although most of the S is expected to be electrically inactive, under the high doping conditions hereby used, it is shown rather indirectly through multiple characterizations that there may be some amount of S in donor states. Therefore the results are discussed in terms of the dual role of S whereby it induces the structural defects in the form of enhanced sp2 C content at the expense of diamond quality and a possibility of availability of conduction electrons. In fact the latter finding is supported through room temperature electrical conductivity measurements.

Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 18 , Issue 11 , November 2003 , pp. 2708 - 2716
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2003

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