Abstract: Several kinds of rare-earth silicides are prepared by implanting rare-earth ions into silicon using a metal vapor vacuum arc (MEVVA) ion source.They show excellent electron field emission characteristics with turn-on fields between 15 and 20V/μm at a current density of 1μA/cm2.After annealed by electron beam,the turn-on field can be lower than 10V/μm and the field emission current density increases as much as an order of magnitude.Their excellent field emission characteristics are attributed to the good thermal stability and the lower work function of the rare-earth silicides.The field emission mechanism is analysed using Fowler-Nordheim theory.Their FN plots can be divided into two segments obviously,and this perhaps is due to the thermal effect in the process of field emission.

Key words: rare-earth silicide, field emission, FN plot