Carbon-doped boron nitride cold cathodes

These results reflect what is believed to be the first observation of electron emission from carbon-doped boron nitride (BN). The n-type BN films were synthesized on n-type polycrystalline diamond on (100)Si using reactive laser ablation. The electron emission current density measured at room temperature shows a power law dependence. Emission currents as high as 60 mA cm(-2) have been measured from 150 nm thick n-type BN films on a 24 mu m n-type polycrystalline diamond film on a (100)Si substrate. These films show a current density/applied field behavior indicative of negative electron affinity. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.