This study explores the electron emission of natural, nitrogen-doped diamond at elevated temperatures. The diamond was resistively heated up to 870°C. Accruing negatively charged particles where accelerated by a bias voltage of 30 V and the energy distribution is measured. The electrons are analysed by an electrostatic deflection resulting in an energy resolution of 70 meV. A hydrogen-free surface at a base pressure of 2.0×10−9 mbar shows a very small emission. The energy distribution has its maximum at 2.5 eV and a FWHM of 0.52 eV. Beside the main emission peak, some smaller features are observable at higher energies. An atomic hydrogen supply at 1.9×10−5 mbar increases the emission by a factor of 30. With some delay to the hydrogen supply, a new low energy peak appears. The increase in intensity during hydrogen adsorption is explained by the occurrence of a negative electron affinity (NEA) of the hydrogen-covered diamond surface. The low-energy feature might be due to hydrogen ions, either desorbing from the surface or from charge transfer during collisions of gas phase hydrogen with the diamond surface.
«This study explores the electron emission of natural, nitrogen-doped diamond at elevated temperatures. The diamond was resistively heated up to 870°C. Accruing negatively charged particles where accelerated by a bias voltage of 30 V and the energy distribution is measured. The electrons are analysed by an electrostatic deflection resulting in an energy resolution of 70 meV. A hydrogen-free surface at a base pressure of 2.0×10−9 mbar shows a very small emission. The energy distribution has its ma...
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