Multienergy gold ion implantation for enhancing the field electron emission characteristics of heterogranular structured diamond films grown on Au-coated Si substrates

Multienergy Au-ion implantation enhanced the electrical conductivity of heterogranular structured diamond films grown on Au-coated Si substrates to a high level of 5076.0 (Omega cm)(-1) and improved the field electron emission (FEE) characteristics of the films to low turn-on field of 1.6 V/mu m, high current density of 5.4 mA/cm(2) (@ 2.65 V/mu m), and high lifetime stability of 1825 min. The catalytic induction of nanographitic phases in the films due to Au-ion implantation and the formation of diamond-to-Si eutectic interface layer due to Au-coating on Si together encouraged the efficient conducting channels for electron transport, thereby improved the FEE characteristics of the films. Published by AIP Publishing. The authors would like to thank the financial support of Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan through the Project Nos. MOST 104-2112-M-032-003. K. J. Sankaran is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow of the Research Foundations-Flanders (FWO).