Gold nanoparticle–ultrananocrystalline diamond hybrid structured materials for high-performance optoelectronic device applications

Abstract

Hybridization of gold nanoparticles in the ultrananocrystalline diamond materials improves the electrical conductivity of the materials to a high level of 230 (Ω cm)⁻¹ with a sheet carrier concentration of 8.9 × 10²⁰ cm⁻². These hybrid materials show enhanced electron field emission (EFE) properties, viz. a low turn-on field of 2.1 V μm⁻¹ with a high EFE current density of 5.3 mA cm⁻² (at an applied field of 4.9 V μm⁻¹) and the life-time stability up to a period of 372 min. The fabrication of these hybrid materials with high conductivity and superior EFE behaviors is a direct and simple process which opens new prospects in flat panel displays and high brightness electron sources.