Field emission from silicon and molybdenum tips coated with diamond powder by dielectrophoresis

Abstract

Thin diamond layers have been formed on molybdenum and single-crystal silicon field emitters using a dielectrophoresis coating method from a suspension of diamond powder in a nonconducting fluid. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy observation revealed a significant amount of diamond on the tips. The average thickness of the deposited diamond layer depended on the applied bias and the immersion time. Field emission from these diamond-coated emitters exhibited significant enhancement compared to the pure emitters.