Controlling mechanisms for field-induced electron emission from diamond-like carbon films

A diamond-like carbon film is a possible electron emitter for electronic displays, but the mechanism of electron emission is not well established. A central issue is: “What is the current-limiting process, and where does this occur?” This paper surveys various hypotheses about the nature of the controlling emission mechanism, using (where relevant) data obtained by Fowler-Nordheim analyses of emission from nitrogen-containing hydrogenated amorphous carbon films. Our conclusion is that, in the present state of the theory, none of the hypotheses examined can provide a complete explanation of the experimental results. There is a need for more detailed theoretical analyses and for extra forms of experimental information.