Temperature dependence of surface band bending and field emission for boron-doped diamond and diamond-like films

Abstract

In this experiment we have measured the temperature dependence of field emission characteristics for boron-doped diamond and diamond-like films at various temperatures and low fields. The threshold voltage increases and emission current density decreases as the temperature decreases. These field emission characteristics can be successfully explained by the semiconductor thermionic emission theory. This measurement apparently reveals that the electron affinity is not changed while bending down of the surface band is enhanced as temperature decreases, resulting in reduction of the emission current.