Abstract
One-dimensional boron-doped submicron diamond rods (SDRs) were fabricated on diamond/Si substrates by oxygen plasma etching. The SDRs are ∼4.5 m in height and ∼383 nm in diameter. Iron oxide coated on SDRs is essential in the formation of one-dimensional SDRs. However, the as-etched SDRs suffer with high turn-on field (E TO ) and low field emission current density (J FE ) due to the iron oxide. A huge improvement in the field emission characteristics can be achieved by removing iron oxide using a wet-etch process in a diluted HCl (37). After the wet-etch, the SDRs exhibit a low E TO value of4.5 V/m (at 10 A/cm 2 ) and a high J FE value of 30 mA/cm 2 (at 8.5 V/m). The FE emitter is only stable for a short period of time at high current stress owing to the rounding of the tips of SDRs. © 2011 The Electrochemical Society.