Synthesis of amorphous carbon nanowalls by DC-PECVD on different substrates and study of its field emission properties

Amorphous carbon thin films with quasi vertical nanowall-like morphologies have been synthesized via direct current plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition on both copper and silicon substrates with acetylene as a carbon precursor. The deposition temperature and pressure were maintained at 750 degrees C and 5 mbar respectively. The morphology of the as-prepared samples has been investigated with the help of a field emission scanning electron microscope and an atomic force microscope, both revealing nanowall-like morphologies with thicknesses of the walls similar to 6-15 nm. The as-prepared carbon nanowalls showed good field electron emission with a turn-on field as low as 1.39 V/mu m. The effect of inter-electrode distance on the field electron emission has also been studied in detail. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.