Synthesis and field emission property of SiCN cone arrays

Silicon carbon nitride (SiCN) cone arrays were synthesized on Si wafers using a microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition reactor with gas mixtures of CH4, SiH4, Ar, H2 and N2 as precursors. The SiCN cones have nanometer-sized tips and their roots vary from nanometers to micrometers in sizes. A lowest turn-on field of 0.6 V μm−1 as well as field emission current densities of 4.7 mA cm−2 at an applied field of 2.8 V μm−1 was obtained from these SiCN cones. Moreover, the SiCN cone arrays exhibited rather stable emission current under constant applied voltage.