Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 February 2011
The kinetic energy and spatial distribution of field electron emission from nitrogen (urea) doped, chemical vapor deposited (CVD) diamond films have been examined with simultaneous field emission and photoemission. A linear Fowler-Nordheim characteristic was measured over a wide range of currents. The field emission electrons originate from distinct areas of the flat sample. The dominant origin of field emission is due to electrons tunneling from near the valence band maximum. A time dependent fluctuation in the kinetic energy and spatial distribution of the emission is observed when the applied electric field (and hence emission current density) is increased well above the emission threshold.