Correlations between the electron field-emission properties of films which had been prepared by chemical vapor deposition, and the defect structures which were introduced by B doping, were studied. Secondary-ion mass spectroscopic analysis indicated that the solubility limit of (B3+)2 was 5 x 1021/cm3, whereas infra-red absorption spectroscopic analysis revealed that the highest B concentration that could be incorporated as a substitutional dopant was equal to only one tenth of the solubility limit. The incorporation of B species in higher concentrations introduced large strains, and defects; as reflected by distorted Raman resonance peaks, noisy infra-red spectra and twinned microstructures. It was presumed that the presence of atomic defects, which behaved as electron traps, was the cause of a deterioration of the electron field-emission properties.

Defect Structure and Electron Field-Emission Properties of Boron-Doped Diamond Films. Y.H.Chen, C.T.Hu, I.N.Lin: Applied Physics Letters, 1999, 75[18], 2857-9