The effects of acid treatment on field emission from diamond films

Recently CVD diamond films have emerged as potential cathode materials, but the data are complex and the emission mechanism is not clear. For example, J. W. Glesener and co-workers (1996) reported that emission from diamond films is dependent on doping. Some results show that emission from diamond films follows the FN theory, but some results do not. M.W. Gels and J.C. Twichell (1995) reported that high emission could be obtained at lower electrical fields after surface treatment and doping. Usually surface states and morphology are important parameters so we have tested an acid treatment to change surface morphology and have obtained better emission.