Achieving a Large Net “Negative Electron Affinity” on Diamond (100) via Molecular Oxygen and Lithium Functionalization
Ramiz Zulkharnay, William Greenwood, Adam Wood, Jude Laverock, Neil A. Fox
TL;DR
This paper introduces a new method to create stable diamond surfaces with high electron emission potential using molecular oxygen and lithium.
Contribution
A novel molecular oxygen oxidation method is developed to achieve a large net negative electron affinity on diamond surfaces.
Findings
Molecular oxygen treatment achieves ~90% surface coverage and an NEA of −1.68 eV.
The NEA is fully recoverable upon reactivation after slight air stability limitations.
The method outperforms UV-ozone treatment and offers scalability for electronic applications.
Abstract
Toward the realization of thermally and ambient-stable diamond surfaces with negative electron affinity (NEA), advances in surface engineering are critical for high-performance electron-emission devices, including thermionic and field emitters, and next-generation energy converters. Here, we develop and systematically investigate a novel “molecular oxygen” oxidation method for (100)-oriented single-crystal diamond, comparing it with the benchmark UV-ozone treatment. Using the state-of-the-art surface analysis techniques, we quantify surface oxygen coverage and characterize the electronic structure following lithium deposition. The molecular oxygen treatment achieves ∼90% surface coverage and produces an NEA of −1.68 eV, outperforming UV-ozone oxidation (−1.31 eV). Although air stability is slightly limited, the NEA is fully recoverable upon reactivation (−1.56 eV). This study…
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Taxonomy
TopicsDiamond and Carbon-based Materials Research · Advanced Electron Microscopy Techniques and Applications · Carbon Nanotubes in Composites