Diamond-based electron emission: Structure, properties and mechanisms

doi:10.1088/1674-1056/ad5aec

Abstract Diamond has an ultrawide bandgap with excellent physical properties, such as high critical electric field, excellent thermal conductivity, high carrier mobility, etc. Diamond with a hydrogen-terminated (H-terminated) surface has a negative elaffinity (NEA) and can easily produce surface electrons from valence or trapped electrons via optical absorption, thermal heating energy or carrier transport in a PN junction. The NEA of the H-terminated surface enables surface electrons to emit with high efficiency into the vacuum without encountering additional barriers and promotes further development and application of diamond-based emitting devices. This article reviews the electron emission properties of H-terminated diamond surfaces exhibiting NEA characteristics. The electron emission is induced by different physical mechanisms. Recent advancements in electron-emitting devices based on diamond are also summarized. Finally, the current challenges and future development opportunities are discussed to further develop the relevant applications of diamond-based electron-emitting devices.

Keywords: diamond negative electron affinity (NEA) PN junction electron emission

Received: 11 April 2024
Revised: 06 June 2024
Accepted manuscript online: 24 June 2024

PACS:	81.15.Gh	(Chemical vapor deposition (including plasma-enhanced CVD, MOCVD, ALD, etc.))
	81.05.ug	(Diamond)
	07.30.Bx	(Degasification, residual gas)
	07.30.Kf	(Vacuum chambers, auxiliary apparatus, and materials)

Fund: This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 62274084) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant No. 0210-14380193).

Corresponding Authors: Kun Tang, Shu-Lin Gu
E-mail: ktang@nju.edu.cn;slgu@nju.edu.cn

Cite this article:

Liang-Xue Gu(顾梁雪), Kai Yang(杨凯), Yan Teng(滕妍), Wei-Kang Zhao(赵伟康), Geng-You Zhao(赵耕右), Kang-Kang Fan(凡康康), Bo Feng(冯博), Rong Zhang(张荣), You-Dou Zheng(郑有炓), Jian-Dong Ye(叶建东), Shun-Ming Zhu(朱顺明), Kun Tang(汤琨), and Shu-Lin Gu(顾书林) Diamond-based electron emission: Structure, properties and mechanisms 2024 Chin. Phys. B 33 098102

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