Electron field emission from self-organized micro-emitters of sp 3-bonded 5H Boron nitride with very high current density at low electric field

Electron field emission with high current density ∼0.9 A/cm2 at a low electric field of 8.6 V/μm was achieved by self-organized cone-shaped emitters with dimensions on the order of ∼10 μm made of sp3-bonded 5H boron nitride, which was grown by plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition with the assistance of 193 nm laser irradiation of the surface. The work function of this material proved to be ∼5 eV, whereas the geometrical field enhancement factor amounts to ∼106 cm -1. The known robustness of sp3-bonded BN with its excellent electron emission characteristics and the self-organization of emitter shaped structures may provide new applications for electron emitting devices.</p