The fabrication of an efficient cold cathode emitter from carbon is based on a combination of material properties, which must be carefully tailored during deposition. We present the electron emission characteristics of several carbon films deposited by cathodic arc evaporation, and their correlation with the chemical composition, microtexture and microstructure of the films. The emission threshold field voltage, emission site density, uniformity and stability of both tetrahedral amorphous carbon, nitrogen doped carbon and nanoclustered carbon films will be reviewed. We will also address issues related to the deposition method, such as substrate temperature, defect density and scalability, in connection with requirements for the fabrication of field emission displays.
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