Abstract: H-BN thin films were prepared on the (100)-oriented surface of n-Si by r.f. sputtering physical vapor deposition(PVD). The field emi ssion characteristics of the BN films were measured in a ultra high vacuum syste m. It has been found that the field emission characteristics of BN films is affe cted evidently by substrates temperature. A turn-on electric field as low as 12 V/μm is obtained and the highest emission current density is 280 μA/cm^{2< /sup> fo r the BN film deposited at a substrate temperature of 500 ℃. The Fowler-Nordhei m(F-N) curves are all nearly straight lines that indicate the electrons are emi tted from n-Si to penetrate the BN films to vacuum tunneling by means of tunnel ing effect.}

Key words: BN films, field emission, substrate temperature, sur face roughness