We have improved the field electron emission from amorphous carbon films using platinum-silicide (PtSi) formed between silicon substrate and amorphous carbon (a-C). Pt films were sputter-deposited onto n-Si(100) substrates at room temperature. In order to form PtSi at the interface annealing was made at 400∼600oC in a vacuum chamber. a-C films were then deposited onto Pt/Si substrates using by laser ablation at room temperature. The field electron emission property of a-C/Pt/Si is found to be better than that of a-C/Si, and it is shown that the property was improved with increasing annealing temperature. The reasons why the field electron emission from a-C film was improved can be considered as follows, (1) the resistance of a-C films decreased due to graphitization, (2) effective electric field concentration occurred because of the rough surface morphology of the a-C films deposited on Pt/Si substrates, (3) annealing induced reaction between Pt film and Si substrate decreased the interfacial resistance between Pt film and Si substrate.
