Abstract
A novel growth method for diamond nano-tips on porous anodic alumina (PAA) by hot filament chemical vapor deposition has been investigated for the first time. Before diamond film deposition could be carried out, nano-diamond particles were deposited onto the pore surface of PAA by electrophoretic deposition at the nucleation sites. Diamond nano-tips were then successfully formed by the shape of porous alumina. The results show that a diamond nano-tip with a smaller radius has superior effects of field emission. Its threshold field and current density are 1.2Vμm -1 and 4.0mAcm -2 , respectively, for the case of a tip radius of about 20-30nm. © 2011 IOP Publishing Ltd.