Abstract:
An electron source is formed on a silicon substrate having opposing first and second surfaces. At least one field emitter is prepared on the second surface of the silicon substrate to enhance the emission of electrons. To prevent oxidation of the silicon, a thin, contiguous boron layer is disposed directly on the output surface of the field emitter using a process that minimizes oxidation and defects. The field emitter can take various shapes such as pyramids and rounded whiskers. One or several optional gate layers may be placed at or slightly lower than the height of the field emitter tip in order to achieve fast and accurate control of the emission current and high emission currents. The field emitter can be p-type doped and configured to operate in a reverse bias mode or the field emitter can be n-type doped.
Abstract:
In one embodiment of the present invention, an electronic device includes a first emitter/collector region and a second emitter/collector region disposed in a substrate. The first emitter/collector region has a first edge/tip, and the second emitter/collector region has a second edge/tip. A gap separates the first edge/tip from the second edge/tip. The first emitter/collector region, the second emitter/collector region, and the gap form a field emission device.
Abstract:
Some embodiments of vacuum electronics call for nanoscale field-enhancing geometries. Methods and apparatus for using nanoparticles to fabricate nanoscale field-enhancing geometries are described herein. Other embodiments of vacuum electronics call for methods of controlling spacing between a control grid and an electrode on a nano- or micron-scale, and such methods are described herein.
Abstract:
An electron source is formed on a silicon substrate having opposing first and second surfaces. At least one field emitter is prepared on the second surface of the silicon substrate to enhance the emission of electrons. To prevent oxidation of the silicon, a thin, contiguous boron layer is disposed directly on the output surface of the field emitter using a process that minimizes oxidation and defects. The field emitter can take various shapes such as pyramids and rounded whiskers. One or several optional gate layers may be placed at or slightly lower than the height of the field emitter tip in order to achieve fast and accurate control of the emission current and high emission currents. The field emitter can be p-type doped and configured to operate in a reverse bias mode or the field emitter can be n-type doped.
Abstract:
Some embodiments of vacuum electronics call for nanoscale field-enhancing geometries. Methods and apparatus for using nanoparticles to fabricate nanoscale field-enhancing geometries are described herein. Other embodiments of vacuum electronics call for methods of controlling spacing between a control grid and an electrode on a nano- or micron-scale, and such methods are described herein.
Abstract:
An array of carbon nanotube micro-tip structure includes an insulating substrate and a plurality of patterned carbon nanotube film structures. The insulating substrate includes a surface. The surface includes an edge. A plurality of patterned carbon nanotube film structures spaced from each other. Each of the plurality of patterned carbon nanotube film structures is partially arranged on the surface of the insulating substrate. Each of the plurality of patterned carbon nanotube film structures comprises two strip-shaped arms joined together forming a tip portion protruding and suspending from the edge of the surface of the insulating substrate. Each of the two strip-shaped arms comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes parallel to the surface of the insulating substrate.
Abstract:
A method of manufacturing field-emitter arrays by a molding technique includes uniformly controlling a shape of mold holes to obtain field emitter tips having diameters below 100 nm and blunted side edges. Repeated oxidation and etching of a mold substrate formed of single-crystal semiconductor mold wafers is carried out, wherein the mold holes for individual emitters are fabricated by utilizing the crystal orientation dependence of the etching rate.
Abstract:
A diamond electron source in which a single sharpened tip is formed at one end of a pillar-shaped diamond monocrystal of a size for which resist application is difficult in a microfabrication process, as an electron emission point used in an electron microscope or other electron beam device, and a method for manufacturing the diamond electron source. One end of a pillar-shaped diamond monocrystal 10 is ground to form a smooth flat surface 11, and a ceramic layer 12 is formed on the smooth flat surface 11. A thin-film layer 14 having a prescribed shape is deposited on the ceramic layer 12 using a focused ion beam device, after which the ceramic layer 12 is patterned by etching using the thin-film layer 14 as a mask. A single sharpened tip is formed at one end of the pillar-shaped diamond monocrystal 10 by dry etching using the resultant ceramic mask.
Abstract:
A method of producing field emitters having improved brightness and durability relying on the creation of a liquid Taylor cone from electrically conductive materials having high melting points. The method calls for melting the end of a wire substrate with a focused laser beam, while imposing a high positive potential on the material. The resulting molten Taylor cone is subsequently rapidly quenched by cessation of the laser power. Rapid quenching is facilitated in large part by radiative cooling, resulting in structures having characteristics closely matching that of the original liquid Taylor cone. Frozen Taylor cones thus obtained yield desirable tip end forms for field emission sources in electron beam applications. Regeneration of the frozen Taylor cones in-situ is readily accomplished by repeating the initial formation procedures. The high temperature liquid Taylor cones can also be employed as bright ion sources with chemical elements previously considered impractical to implement.
Abstract:
Verfahren zur Herstellung von mindestens einer Nanospitze aus einem Spitzenmaterial, umfassend das Bereitstellen eines Substrates (210), das aus dem Spitzenmaterial besteht oder dieses in Form einer Beschichtung aufweist, das Herstellen einer Maske aus einem Maskenmaterial (220), wobei das Maskenmaterial so gewählt ist, dass in einem vorbestimmten reaktiven lonenatzprozess das Maskenmaterial mit einer geringeren Ätzrate entfernt wird als das Spitzenmaterial und das Durchführen des reaktiven lonenätzprozesses in einer Ätzkammer, wobei Maskenmaterials zusätzlich derart ausgewählt wird, dass beim reaktiven lonenätzprozess aus dem Maskenmaterial eine gasförmige Komponente (230) freigesetzt wird, die beim reaktiven lonenätzprozess aus dem Spitzenmaterial nicht freigesetzt wird und wobei das Verfahren weiterhin die Schritte Detektieren der gasförmigen Komponente während der Durchführung des lonenätzprozesses, wiederholtes Ermitteln während des lonenätzprozesses, ob eine Menge der gasförmigen Komponente in der Ätzkammer einen vorbestimmten unteren Schwellwert erreicht, und sobald der untere Schwellwert erreicht ist: Stoppen des reaktiven lonenätzprozesses, umfasst.