CHAPTER 20: Electron Field Emission from Diamond

The properties of diamond as they relate to field emission present a promising and interesting combination of strongly bonded carbon, low or negative electron affinity, radiation tolerance, and chemical inertness. Counter to expectations, diamond's 5.45 eV bandgap is an asset rather than a handicap when it comes to electron emission. Recent work has demonstrated emission current densities approaching quantum degeneracy and multiple groups have reported high brightness and long lifetimes. This chapter covers the basics of field emission and the adaptation of Fowler–Nordheim type equations to diamond field emission devices. Relevant device parameters are discussed with reference to various efforts in the literature in context.