Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T20:58:53.100Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Ultra thin transition metal oxide coatings on diamond for thermionic applications

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 December 2012

Amit K. Tiwari
Affiliation:
Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Newcastle University, NE1 7RU, UK
Jonathan P. Goss
Affiliation:
Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Newcastle University, NE1 7RU, UK
Patrick R. Briddon
Affiliation:
Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Newcastle University, NE1 7RU, UK
Nick G. Wright
Affiliation:
Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Newcastle University, NE1 7RU, UK
Alton B. Horsfall
Affiliation:
Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Newcastle University, NE1 7RU, UK
Mark J. Rayson
Affiliation:
Eng. Science and Mathematics, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå S–97187, Sweden
Get access

Abstract

We have investigated, using density functional simulations, the energetics and the electronic properties of oxides of selected transition metals, TMs, adsorbed onto a dia-mond (001) surface. We find that stoichiometric oxides of TMs, particularly Ti and Zn,influence the electron affinity of diamond strongly. The electron affinities of stoichiomet-ric oxides of Ti and Zn are calculated to be around −3 eV, significantly higher than 1.9 eV of commonly used H–termination. The reactions of TMs with an oxygenated diamond are found to be highly exothermic. Based upon the energetics and the electronic properties, we propose that in the regime of ultra thin films, oxides of TMs are promising options for surface coating of diamond–based electron emitters, as these coatings are compatible with semiconductor device fabrication processes, while having the benefit of inducing a large negative electron affinity.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2012

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Cui, J. B., Ristein, J., and Ley, L., Phys. Rev. Lett. 81, 429 (1998).10.1103/PhysRevLett.81.429CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tiwari, A. K., Goss, J. P., Briddon, P. R., Wright, N. G., Horsfall, A. B., Jones, R., Pinto, H., and Rayson, M. J., Phys. Rev. B 84, 245305 (2011).10.1103/PhysRevB.84.245305CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tiwari, A. K., Goss, J. P., Briddon, P. R., Wright, N. G., Horsfall, A. B., and Rayson, M. J., Phys. Rev. B 86, 155301 (2012); Phys. Status Solidi A 209, 1697 (2012).10.1103/PhysRevB.86.155301CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baumann, P. K. and Nemanich, R. J., J. Appl. Phys. 83, 2072 (1998).10.1063/1.366940CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baumann, P. K. and Nemanich, R. J., Phys. Rev. B 58, 1643 (1998).10.1103/PhysRevB.58.1643CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Geis, M. W., Twichell, J. C., Macaulay, J., and Okano, K., Appl. Phys. Lett. 67, 1328 (1995).10.1063/1.114529CrossRefGoogle Scholar
O’Donnell, K. M., Martin, T. L., Fox, N. A., and Cherns, D., Phys. Rev. B 82, 115303 (2010).10.1103/PhysRevB.82.115303CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rayson, M. J. and Briddon, P. R., Phys. Rev. B 80, 205104 (2009).10.1103/PhysRevB.80.205104CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hartwigsen, C., Goedecker, S., and Hutter, J., Phys. Rev. B 58, 3641 (1998).10.1103/PhysRevB.58.3641CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rutter, M. J. and Robertson, J., Phys. Rev. B 57, 9241 (1998).10.1103/PhysRevB.57.9241CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Monkhorst, H. J. and Pack, J. D., Phys. Rev. B 13, 5188 (1976).10.1103/PhysRevB.13.5188CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sque, S. J., Jones, R., and Briddon, P. R., Phys. Rev. B 73, 085313 (2006).10.1103/PhysRevB.73.085313CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mulliken, R. S., Chem, J.. Phys. 23, 1833 (1955).Google Scholar
Sun, J., Wang, H. T., He, J., and Tian, Y., Phys. Rev. B 71, 125132 (2005).10.1103/PhysRevB.71.125132CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bacsa, J., Hanke, F., Hindley, S., Odedra, R., Darling, G. R., Jones, A. C., and Steiner, A., Angewandte Chemie International Edition 50, 11685 (2011).10.1002/anie.201105099CrossRefGoogle Scholar