Interface and interlayer barrier effects on photo-induced electron emission from low work function diamond films

Tianyin Sun; Franz A M Koeck; Petr B. Stepanov; Robert Nemanich

doi:10.1016/j.diamond.2014.02.008

Interface and interlayer barrier effects on photo-induced electron emission from low work function diamond films

Tianyin Sun, Franz A M Koeck, Petr B. Stepanov, Robert Nemanich

Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

Nitrogen-doped diamond has been under investigation for its low effective work function, which is due to the negative electron affinity (NEA) produced after surface hydrogen termination. Diamond films grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) have been reported to exhibit visible light induced electron emission and low temperature thermionic emission. The physical mechanism and material-related properties that enable this combination of electron emission are the focus of this research. In this work the electron emission spectra of nitrogen-doped, hydrogen-terminated diamond films are measured, at elevated temperatures, with wavelength selected illumination from 340 nm to 450 nm. Through analysis of the spectroscopy results, we argue that for nitrogen-doped diamond films on metallic substrates, photo-induced electron generation at visible wavelengths involves both the ultra-nanocrystalline diamond and the interface between the diamond film and metal substrate. Moreover, the results suggest that the quality of the metal-diamond interface can substantially impact the threshold of the sub-bandgap photo-induced emission.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	123-128
Number of pages	6
Journal	Diamond and Related Materials
Volume	44
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diamond.2014.02.008
State	Published - Apr 2014

Keywords

Doped diamond
PEEM
Photo-induced emission
Thermionic emission

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Mechanical Engineering
General Physics and Astronomy
Materials Chemistry
General Chemistry
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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10.1016/j.diamond.2014.02.008

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title = "Interface and interlayer barrier effects on photo-induced electron emission from low work function diamond films",

abstract = "Nitrogen-doped diamond has been under investigation for its low effective work function, which is due to the negative electron affinity (NEA) produced after surface hydrogen termination. Diamond films grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) have been reported to exhibit visible light induced electron emission and low temperature thermionic emission. The physical mechanism and material-related properties that enable this combination of electron emission are the focus of this research. In this work the electron emission spectra of nitrogen-doped, hydrogen-terminated diamond films are measured, at elevated temperatures, with wavelength selected illumination from 340 nm to 450 nm. Through analysis of the spectroscopy results, we argue that for nitrogen-doped diamond films on metallic substrates, photo-induced electron generation at visible wavelengths involves both the ultra-nanocrystalline diamond and the interface between the diamond film and metal substrate. Moreover, the results suggest that the quality of the metal-diamond interface can substantially impact the threshold of the sub-bandgap photo-induced emission.",

keywords = "Doped diamond, PEEM, Photo-induced emission, Thermionic emission",

author = "Tianyin Sun and Koeck, {Franz A M} and Stepanov, {Petr B.} and Robert Nemanich",

note = "Funding Information: This research was supported through the Office of Naval Research under contract number N00014-10-1-0540 . The authors thank Gary G. Hembree for technical support for PEEM imaging. We gratefully acknowledge the LeRoy Eyring Center for Solid State Science at Arizona State University and Diana Convey for the use of the UV–vis spectrometer.",

year = "2014",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1016/j.diamond.2014.02.008",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "44",

pages = "123--128",

journal = "Diamond and Related Materials",

issn = "0925-9635",

publisher = "Elsevier BV",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Interface and interlayer barrier effects on photo-induced electron emission from low work function diamond films

AU - Sun, Tianyin

AU - Koeck, Franz A M

AU - Stepanov, Petr B.

AU - Nemanich, Robert

N1 - Funding Information: This research was supported through the Office of Naval Research under contract number N00014-10-1-0540 . The authors thank Gary G. Hembree for technical support for PEEM imaging. We gratefully acknowledge the LeRoy Eyring Center for Solid State Science at Arizona State University and Diana Convey for the use of the UV–vis spectrometer.

PY - 2014/4

Y1 - 2014/4

N2 - Nitrogen-doped diamond has been under investigation for its low effective work function, which is due to the negative electron affinity (NEA) produced after surface hydrogen termination. Diamond films grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) have been reported to exhibit visible light induced electron emission and low temperature thermionic emission. The physical mechanism and material-related properties that enable this combination of electron emission are the focus of this research. In this work the electron emission spectra of nitrogen-doped, hydrogen-terminated diamond films are measured, at elevated temperatures, with wavelength selected illumination from 340 nm to 450 nm. Through analysis of the spectroscopy results, we argue that for nitrogen-doped diamond films on metallic substrates, photo-induced electron generation at visible wavelengths involves both the ultra-nanocrystalline diamond and the interface between the diamond film and metal substrate. Moreover, the results suggest that the quality of the metal-diamond interface can substantially impact the threshold of the sub-bandgap photo-induced emission.

AB - Nitrogen-doped diamond has been under investigation for its low effective work function, which is due to the negative electron affinity (NEA) produced after surface hydrogen termination. Diamond films grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) have been reported to exhibit visible light induced electron emission and low temperature thermionic emission. The physical mechanism and material-related properties that enable this combination of electron emission are the focus of this research. In this work the electron emission spectra of nitrogen-doped, hydrogen-terminated diamond films are measured, at elevated temperatures, with wavelength selected illumination from 340 nm to 450 nm. Through analysis of the spectroscopy results, we argue that for nitrogen-doped diamond films on metallic substrates, photo-induced electron generation at visible wavelengths involves both the ultra-nanocrystalline diamond and the interface between the diamond film and metal substrate. Moreover, the results suggest that the quality of the metal-diamond interface can substantially impact the threshold of the sub-bandgap photo-induced emission.

KW - Doped diamond

KW - PEEM

KW - Photo-induced emission

KW - Thermionic emission

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DO - 10.1016/j.diamond.2014.02.008

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VL - 44

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EP - 128

JO - Diamond and Related Materials

JF - Diamond and Related Materials

ER -

Interface and interlayer barrier effects on photo-induced electron emission from low work function diamond films

Abstract

Keywords

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