Field emission properties of two-layer structured SiCN films

The electron emission characteristics of two-layer structured silicon carbon nitride (SiCN) films, which were composed of amorphous and nanocrystalline phases, were studied. Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) was used to determine the composition of the SiCN film. The ratio (Si;C)/N of the SiCN film was kept at approximately 0.75, which is identical to that of Si3N4 film. High resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman spectroscopy were used to investigate the bonding structures of the SiCN films. In comparison with silicon nitride films, the turn-on voltage (for an emission current of 0.01 mA/cm2) of the SiCN films was lower and the emission current densities of the SiCN significantly enhanced. The promising emission properties of the SiCN film could be due to the unique two-layer structure wherein nanocrystalline SiCN was grown on top of the amorphous interlayer with sp2 CN bond in the SiCN film.