Field Emission Current Stability and Noise Generation Mechanism of Large Aspect Ratio Diamond Nanowires

This paper reports the field emission (FE) current stability of a diamond nanowire (DNW) array. Assembled with a silicon anode with a 1.03 μm gap, the FE properties, as well as the current stability of the DNW cathode, were systematically evaluated in a vacuum test system under different vacuum degr...

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Main Authors: Yang Wang, Jinwen Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Sensors
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/9/2925
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author Yang Wang
Jinwen Zhang
author_facet Yang Wang
Jinwen Zhang
author_sort Yang Wang
collection DOAJ
description This paper reports the field emission (FE) current stability of a diamond nanowire (DNW) array. Assembled with a silicon anode with a 1.03 μm gap, the FE properties, as well as the current stability of the DNW cathode, were systematically evaluated in a vacuum test system under different vacuum degrees, current densities, and atmospheres. Experiments demonstrate that lower pressure and current density can improve FE properties and current stability. In addition, compared to air and compressed air, DNWs exhibit higher FE properties and current stability in N<sub>2</sub>. DNWs achieve a remarkably low turn-on field of 1.65 V/μm and a high current density of 265.38 mA/cm<sup>2</sup>. Notably, they demonstrate merely 0.70% current fluctuation under test conditions of 1.2 × 10<sup>−4</sup> Pa and 0.1 mA/cm<sup>2</sup>. Additionally, based on the Fowler–Nordheim theory, the change in work function after gas adsorption was analyzed, and the noise generation mechanism was derived from the noise power spectrum. The current exponent is determined as 1.94, while the frequency exponent ranges from 0.92 to 1.32, confirming that the dominant noise mechanism in DNWs arises from surface work function fluctuations due to the adsorption and desorption of residual gas.
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spelling doaj-art-90e9dfe0bd8743c39c83ddf623096db42025-08-20T03:53:01ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202025-05-01259292510.3390/s25092925Field Emission Current Stability and Noise Generation Mechanism of Large Aspect Ratio Diamond NanowiresYang Wang0Jinwen Zhang1School of Integrated Circuits, Peking University, Beijing 100871, ChinaSchool of Integrated Circuits, Peking University, Beijing 100871, ChinaThis paper reports the field emission (FE) current stability of a diamond nanowire (DNW) array. Assembled with a silicon anode with a 1.03 μm gap, the FE properties, as well as the current stability of the DNW cathode, were systematically evaluated in a vacuum test system under different vacuum degrees, current densities, and atmospheres. Experiments demonstrate that lower pressure and current density can improve FE properties and current stability. In addition, compared to air and compressed air, DNWs exhibit higher FE properties and current stability in N<sub>2</sub>. DNWs achieve a remarkably low turn-on field of 1.65 V/μm and a high current density of 265.38 mA/cm<sup>2</sup>. Notably, they demonstrate merely 0.70% current fluctuation under test conditions of 1.2 × 10<sup>−4</sup> Pa and 0.1 mA/cm<sup>2</sup>. Additionally, based on the Fowler–Nordheim theory, the change in work function after gas adsorption was analyzed, and the noise generation mechanism was derived from the noise power spectrum. The current exponent is determined as 1.94, while the frequency exponent ranges from 0.92 to 1.32, confirming that the dominant noise mechanism in DNWs arises from surface work function fluctuations due to the adsorption and desorption of residual gas.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/9/2925diamond nanowiresfield electron emissioncurrent stabilitysurface work functionnoise power spectrum
spellingShingle Yang Wang
Jinwen Zhang
Field Emission Current Stability and Noise Generation Mechanism of Large Aspect Ratio Diamond Nanowires
Sensors
diamond nanowires
field electron emission
current stability
surface work function
noise power spectrum
title Field Emission Current Stability and Noise Generation Mechanism of Large Aspect Ratio Diamond Nanowires
title_full Field Emission Current Stability and Noise Generation Mechanism of Large Aspect Ratio Diamond Nanowires
title_fullStr Field Emission Current Stability and Noise Generation Mechanism of Large Aspect Ratio Diamond Nanowires
title_full_unstemmed Field Emission Current Stability and Noise Generation Mechanism of Large Aspect Ratio Diamond Nanowires
title_short Field Emission Current Stability and Noise Generation Mechanism of Large Aspect Ratio Diamond Nanowires
title_sort field emission current stability and noise generation mechanism of large aspect ratio diamond nanowires
topic diamond nanowires
field electron emission
current stability
surface work function
noise power spectrum
url https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/9/2925
work_keys_str_mv AT yangwang fieldemissioncurrentstabilityandnoisegenerationmechanismoflargeaspectratiodiamondnanowires
AT jinwenzhang fieldemissioncurrentstabilityandnoisegenerationmechanismoflargeaspectratiodiamondnanowires