H. Morimoto

Modification of field emitter array tip shape by focused ion‐beam irradiation

Tip shapes of Si field emitter arrays, fabricated by a conventional dry etching process, have been modified by focused ion‐beam (FIB) irradiation to obtain a sharp cone shape. Flat‐topped Si tips could be sharpened by localized sputtering using FIBs for a short time. Tip shape inspections and repairs were also performed using a FIB system combined with an electron‐beam column to remove metal residues and melted emitters.

Fabrication of field emitter array using focused ion and electron beam induced reaction

A 30 keV dual beam system with focused ion and electron beams has been used to develop a fast fabrication process of field emitter arrays (FEAs). The gate opening was fabricated by reactive focused ion beam etching. Pt cathode tips were deposited through gate opening using electron beam induced chemical reaction. Pt tips fabricated in the over-etched Si FEA showed field emission. A prototype of a nanometer-sized FEA was fabricated using a dual beam technique with FIB etching and electron beam induced deposition.

Electron-Beam-Induced Deposition of Pt for Field Emitter Arrays

Pt emitters were deposited using electron-beam-induced reaction on overetched Si emitters fabricated by a conventional dry etching process. An emission current of 10 µA was obtained from a 100-tip field emitter array (FEA) at an extraction voltage of 100 V. A prototype of a nanometer-sized field emitter was fabricated using focused ion beam (FIB) etching and electron-beam-induced deposition (EBID).

Electron emission from gated silicide field emitter arrays

Silicidation of the top surface of Si tips with a Nb gate structure has been carried out to improve the emission behavior of Si field emitter arrays (FEAs). A Pt layer with a thickness of 5–10 nm was deposited through the gate opening and annealed at 850 °C. The electron emission was enhanced by a factor of 10 and the average emission per tip was 3.5 μA for a 10×10 FEA. Fowler–Nordheim plots indicated the decrease in work function after silicidation.

Effect of laser irradiation on electron emission from Si field emitter arrays

Ultraviolet (UV) laser lights were irradiated on Si field emitter arrays before and during electron emission to investigate the surface cleaning effect of laser light irradiation. UV light irradiation for 2–10 min before electron emission in a vacuum resulted in enhanced electron emission by 50%, which gradually decreased after further aging. Laser light irradiation during electron emission could induce enhanced electron emission by a factor of 2.4 due to photoinduced carrier generation and surface cleaning, and higher electron emission by a factor of 2 than the initial emission was observed even after laser light irradiation and prolonged aging for 20 h.

Effect of gas ambient on improvement in emission behavior of Si field emitter arrays

Gas ambient emission has been applied in various gas species such as air, H2, 0,, and Ar at Torr to gated Si field emitter arrays (FEAs) to improve the emission behavior. The electron emission from the FEAs was enhanced by a factor of up to 10 during or after gas ambient emission with H,, O,, and Ar, while the improvement was not observed by a process with air. Fowler-Nordheim plots indicated a drastic change in slope only for H , processes, in which hydrogen atoms would adsorb to Si tip surfaces. An emission pattem with a four-fold symmetry was observed for a single-tip emitter after hydrogen ambient emission, indicating the tip sui

Modification of field emitter array (FEA) tip shape by focused ion beam irradiation

ace crystallinity after gas ambient emission.

Effect of laser irradiation on electron emitter arrays

Tip shapes of Si field emitter arrays (FEAs), fabricated by a conventional dry etching process, have successfully bean modified by focused ion beam (FIB) irradiation to obtain a sharp cone shape. Flat-topped Si tips could be sharpened by localized sputtering using FIBs for a short time.