Bell, Seltzer, Park & Gibson
Method for forming a diamond coated field emitter and device produced thereby
 A method for making a field emitter comprising the steps of providing a projection; electrically biasing the projection; and exposing the electrically biased projection to a hydrocarbon containing plasma to form a layer of diamond nuclei on the projection. The diamond nuclei are relatively inert and have a high nucleation density. The projection is preferably a material capable of forming a carbide, such as (111) oriented silicon. Refractory metals may also be used for the projection. The electrical biasing is preferably at a voltage in a range of about -150 to -250 volts. The hydrocarbon containing plasma preferably comprises a plasma including about 2 to 5% by weight of methane in hydrogen. An intervening carbide layer is preferably formed at a surface of the projection and underlying the layer of diamond nuclei. The field emitter produced by the method and having a relatively high diamond nucleation density is also disclosed. 
North Carolina State University
C C C C C
C23C C23C C30B C23C C30B
inventional inventional inventional inventional inventional
Scott Jiang Jeffrey T. John J. Brian R. Michael T.
Wolter Liu Glass Hren Stoner McClure