Pulsed-laser-deposited amorphous diamond and related materials: synthesis, characterization, and field emission properties

Vladimir I. Merkulov; Douglas H. Lowndes; Larry R. Baylor; Gerald E. Jellison Jr.; Alexander A. Puretzky; David B. Geohegan

doi:10.1117/12.352708

15 July 1999 Pulsed-laser-deposited amorphous diamond and related materials: synthesis, characterization, and field emission properties

Vladimir I. Merkulov, Douglas H. Lowndes, Larry R. Baylor, Gerald E. Jellison Jr., Alexander A. Puretzky, David B. Geohegan

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 3618, Laser Applications in Microelectronic and Optoelectronic Manufacturing IV; (1999) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.352708
Event: Optoelectronics '99 - Integrated Optoelectronic Devices, 1999, San Jose, CA, United States

Abstract

Amorphous carbon films with variable sp³ content were produced by ArF pulsed laser deposition. An in-situ ion probe was used to measure kinetic energy of C⁺ ions. In contrast to measurements made as a function of laser fluence, ion probe measurements of kinetic energy are a convenient as well as more accurate and fundamental method for monitoring deposition conditions, with the advantage of being readily transferable for inter-laboratory comparisons. Electron energy loss spectroscopy and spectroscopic ellipsometry measurement reveal that tetrahedral amorphous carbon films with the most diamond-like properties are obtained at the C ion kinetic energy of approximately 90 eV. Film properties are uniform within a 12-15 degrees angle from the plume centerline. Tapping-mode atomic force microscope measurements show that films deposited at near- optimum kinetic energy are extremely smooth, with rms roughness of only approximately 1 angstrom over distances of several hundred nm. Field emission (FE) measurements show that ta-C does not appear to be a good electron emitter. After conditioning of ta-C films deposited on n-type Si a rather high turn-on voltage of approximately 50 V/micrometers was required to draw current of approximately 1 nA to the probe. The emission was unstable and typically ceased after a few minutes of operation. The FE tests of ta-C and other materials strongly suggest that surface morphology plays a dominant role in the FE process, in agreement with conventional Fowler-Nordheim theory.

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Vladimir I. Merkulov, Douglas H. Lowndes, Larry R. Baylor, Gerald E. Jellison Jr., Alexander A. Puretzky, and David B. Geohegan "Pulsed-laser-deposited amorphous diamond and related materials: synthesis, characterization, and field emission properties", Proc. SPIE 3618, Laser Applications in Microelectronic and Optoelectronic Manufacturing IV, (15 July 1999); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.352708

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