Electron emission degradation of nano-structured sp²-bonded amorphous carbon films

The initial field electron emission degradation behaviour of original nano-structured sp²-bonded amorphous carbon films has been observed, which can be attributed to the increase of the work function of the film in the field emission process analysed using a Fowler–Nordheim plot. The possible reason for the change of work function is suggested to be the desorption of hydrogen from the original hydrogen termination film surface due to field emission current-induced local heating.

For the explanation of the emission degradation behaviour of the nano-structured sp²-bonded amorphous carbon film, a cluster model with a series of graphite (0001) basal surfaces has been presented, and the theoretical calculations have been performed to investigate work functions of graphite (0001) surfaces with different hydrogen atom and ion chemisorption sites by using first principles method based on density functional theory-local density approximation.