The emission properties of organic field ion emitters: A combined FIM and FI-MS investigation

The emission properties of tungsten emitters activated with benzonitrile, such as are used in analytical organic field ion mass spectrometry, have been investigated using n-heptane as test gas. It was discovered that these emission properties are influenced principally by the morphological structure and electronic state of the surfaces of the microneedles; the bulk structure of these organic agglomerates has practically no effect on their ionization behaviour.Field ion microscope investigation of emitters activated at high temperature (HT) revealed a similar surface structure to that of pyrolytic graphite; emitters activated at room temperature (RT) showed less order. The emission regions of highest electric field strength on the tips of the needles are projecting points, ledges, and in the case of HT-emitters, structure planes.A decrease in the mean emission field strength results from the formation of solid deposits on the needle surfaces. A field corrosion of the needle tips occurs in the presence of high pressures of water and leads also to an irreversible decrease in the mean emission field strength. The effect of physically adsorbed layers on the emission properties of the emitter surface is discussed in terms of the influences of the electric field penetration on the electronic properties of the needles.     

Confinement of the field electron emission to atomic sites on ultra sharp tips

The spatially controlled field assisted etching method for sharpening metallic tips, in a field ion microscope (FIM), is used to study the evolution of the field emission when the tip apex radius is decreased below 1 nm. Unlike the conventional image formation in a field emission microscope (FEM), we demonstrate that at this scale the field emission is rather confined to atomic sites. A single atom apex fabricated at the end of such tips exhibits an outstanding brightness compared to other atomic tips. The measurements have been repeated for two double atom tips, with different atom-atom separations, and images of atomic field emission localization have also been obtained. We have found that the field emission intensity alternates between adjacent atoms when the applied voltage is gradually increased beyond a threshold value.     

Uniform arrays of carbon nanotubes applied in the field emission devices

Carbon nanotubes(CNTs)were grown into anodic aluminum oxide(AAO)channels by chemical vapor deposition(CVD)using C2H2/N2mixtures as feeding gas,which can be used as field emitters.The bottom surface of AAO template was etched slightly and the tips of CNTs were explored as the field emission arrays which were uniform and vertical.Field emission characterization showed a low turn-on field about 3.25 V/m and high emission current about 30 mA/cm2with the electric field about 4 V/m.These superior field emission characteristics could be attributed to low density of vertical CNTs and higher conductivity of the substrate.     

硅锥场发射阵列中离子轰击现象的分析

离子轰击影响尖端场致发射器件的稳定性和工作寿命.阐述了数值模拟硅锥阴极离子轰击现象的基本理论,并以硅锥场发射阵列的一个单元结构为例模拟了气体-电子碰撞电离产生的正离子回轰尖端的全过程,对模型中的硅锥受损的位置和程度进行了分析,得出了一些结论.     

Field emission properties of nano-structured phosphorus-doped diamond

Nano-structured phosphorus-doped diamonds were fabricated for field emitters and their field emission properties were characterized. Two kinds of nano-structures were prepared; tip array structures and whiskers on tip structures. The tips, which have 100 nm radius and 10 μm height, are used in tip array structures; whiskers have tip radii of 5 nm and height of 500 nm. Following nano-structure formation, a reduction of threshold fields is observed compared to non-patterned flat surfaces. This is ascribed to field concentration at the tips. However, at higher electric fields, a saturation of the emission current is observed due to non-negligible bulk resistances in tips and whiskers.     

Field emission microscope investigation of oxide formation on Mo field emitters

The initial stages of oxide formation on Mo field emitter tips have been examined with the field emission microscopy and field electron spectroscopy. The oxide formed in situ on Mo tips by thermal treatment in pure oxygen atmosphere was found to be non-uniform with little evidence for coherent structure. The electron spectroscopy results are discussed in terms of the hypothesis that the emission process is a hot-electron emission.     

电子束蒸发沉积六硼化镧薄膜的逸出功(英文)

六硼化镧(LaB6)具有电子逸出功低、高熔点和高化学稳定性等优点,是制作热阴极和场发射阴极的理想发射体材料。而且在常规场发射尖锥表面涂敷一层LaB6薄膜能够大幅度提高场发射尖锥的发射能力。为了测量LaB6薄膜的逸出功,采用电子束蒸发技术沉积LaB6薄膜,并对薄膜进行了X射线衍射分析和X射线光电谱分析。通过测量薄膜的热电子发射特性和敷LaB6薄膜的硅尖锥阵列的场致电子发射特性确定了LaB6薄膜的逸出功,与块状LaB6多晶材料的逸出功大体相同,说明电子束蒸发沉积技术适合于制备高纯度、低逸出功的LaB6薄膜。     

Reaching the resolved tunnel regime for a femtosecond oscillator driven field emission electron source

We report on electron emission from tungsten tips with the help of 800 nm-8 fs laser pulses from a Ti:sapphire laser oscillator. We have measured autocorrelation traces of the exciting laser pulse in the photoelectron current, which allows a measurement of the non-linearity as a function of DC voltage applied to the tip. These data are well described by a numerical integration of the one-dimensional Schrödinger equation. The simulation shows us that electron emission resolves the electric field structure of the driving laser pulse, a regime which is currently an extremely fruitful area of research with atoms in the gas phase. For an 8 fs laser pulse with the correct carrier-envelope phase setting the emission duration is as short as 800 nm.     

Field emission and photoluminescence characteristics of ZnS nanowires via vapor phase growth

Large-area ZnS nanowires were synthesized through a vapor phase deposition method. X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy results show that the products are composed of single crystalline ZnS nanowires with a cubic structure. The nanowires have sharp tips and are distributed uniformly on silicon substrates. The diameter of the bases is in the range of 320-530 nm and that of the tips is around 20-30 nm. The strong ultraviolet emission in the photoluminescence spectra also demonstrates that the ZnS nanowires are of high crystalline perfection. Field emission measurements reveal that the ZnS nanowires have a fairly low threshold field, which may be ascribed to their very sharp tips, rough surfaces and high crystal quality. The perfect field emission ability of the ZnS nanowires makes them a promising candidate for the fabrication of flexible cold cathodes.     

用热丝CVD技术制备场发射冷阴极金刚石薄膜

以甲烷和氢气的混合气体为原料,用热丝化学汽相淀积法,在(100)硅衬底上800℃温度时异质生长出适合场发射的金刚石薄膜.然后用扫描电子显微镜、X射线衍射仪、透射电子显微镜和喇曼光谱仪等对其进行了分析,结果表明,所制备的薄膜是多晶金刚石,而且在(111)晶相择优生长.在扫描电子显微镜下(111)晶粒的外形几乎都是四面体结构,具有很多尖端,可以加强一定电压下的电场,所以所制备的薄膜能够满足低压场发射的要求.     

On the reaction order in thermal desorption spectroscopy

Experimental results are presented about stability of electron beams from electron field emission. Differently oriented monocrystalline tips were tested in different environmental conditions: vacuum quality, current density and temperature. It is concluded that [111] oriented tips must be preferred either in cold emission or in 1200 K emission from a built-up tip.     

Enhanced Field Emission from Vertical ZnO Nanoneedles on Micropyramids

Vertical ZnO nanoneedles with sharp tips are secondarily grown on tips of primarily grown ZnO micropyramids by a vapour transport process. The field emission （FE） properties exhibit a lower turn-on electric field and a higher field enhancement factor as compared with vertical ZnO microrods. This result indicates that ZnO nanoneedles have good optimum shapes for FE due to electron accumulation at sharp tips.     

Field ion microscopy of germanium: Field ionization and surface states

Field evaporated Ge tips were imaged with Ar and Ne at 80° K. The ions of these gases display identical field ion images. A striking correlation between the regional brightness of FIM and FEM patterns was found. Electron shadow microscopy and the behavior of FIM images above BIV indicate no local field enhancements, thus this correlation must be explained by the electronic structure of the surface. Explanation is furnished by a model, where electrons of the image gas tunnel preferentially into surface states. This model, based on the known fact that surface states of Ge contribute in field emission, is supported by the observation that in regions of low index poles, oxygen adsorption decreases the surface density of centers above which field ionization occurs.     

Field emission from carbon nanotubes: perspectives for applications and clues to the emission mechanism

We report on the extensive characterization of carbon nanotube electron field emitters. We studied the emission behavior of single-wall, closed and opened arc-discharge multi-wall, and catalytically grown multi-wall nanotubes, as single emitters and in film form. The nanotube field emitters show excellent field emission properties, but significant differences were observed between the different types of nanotubes. To obtain good performances as well as long emitter lifetimes, the nanotubes should be multi-walled and have closed, well-ordered tips. Complementary results such as energy distribution and luminescence induced by the field emission give further precious indications on the field emission mechanism. The large field amplification factor, arising from the small radius of curvature of the nanotube tips, is partly responsible for the good emission characteristics. Additional evidence however shows that the density of states at the tip is non-metallic, appearing in the form of localized states with well-defined energy levels. Received: 15 May 1999 / Accepted: 18 May 1999 / Published online: 29 July 1999     

Atom-probe fim studies of β-SiC whiskers

The 〈111〉-oriented whiskers of β-SiC, which is a semiconductor of the zinc blende structure, were studied by an atom-probe field ion microscope. Spectra of the number of field-evaporated ions versus their mass to charge ratio for A [111]-and B [1̄1̄1̄]-oriented tips were different from each other. Both the atomic ions and the molecular ions of SiC were observed for the two oriented tips. The mechanism of the field-evaporation of β-SiC has been discussed from the spectra in connection with the fact that the distinct difference between the two orientations was found in the field emission patterns of the field evaporated tips.     

Field desorption of common gases from iridium and tungsten

The technique of field desorption has been used to study adsorption and desorption of gases from field ion tips. The formal procedure of the experiments is quite similar to thermal flash desorption. Values for the desorption field and their change with coverage have been obtained. For H₂/W a field adsorbed state could be detected. Time-of-flight analysis was applied to determine the desorbing species. The gas supply for field ion tips could be measured; it increases exponentially with the field.     

Specific field emission properties of thin palladium films

The field emission current from thin palladium films deposited on insulating tips in UHV was measured as a function of film thickness at relatively low field strengths. The observed periodic oscillations of the field emission current can be interpreted as the quantum size effect.     

电化学刻蚀法制备LaB6场发射微尖锥阵列

采用电化学刻蚀方法,成功制备出单尖的六硼化镧、钼、钨及钨铼合金场发射冷阴极尖锥,并对这几种场发射单尖锥阴极的电子发射性能进行了测试比较.结果表明,LaB₆作为场发射阴极,具有良好的发射性能和稳定性.在〈111〉面单晶LaB₆基片上,用PECVD法沉积非晶硅作掩膜,制备出具有一定高度的LaB₆微尖锥场发射阵列,结果发现,LaB₆基底较为平整,尖锥阵列呈现出各向异性.该结论对LaB₆材料在场发射阴极方面的进一步研究具有重要的指导意义.     

Effects of microwave plasma treatment on the field emission properties of printed carbon nanotubes/Ag nano-particles films

The effects of Ar microwave plasma treatment on field emission properties of the printed carbon nanotubes (CNTs) cathode films using Ag nano-particles as binder were investigated. The field emission J-E characteristics were measured at varied plasma treatment time. Significant improvement in emission current density, emission stability and uniformity were achieved for the Ar treated CNTs films, even though the plasma treatment increased the turn on electric field slightly. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and Raman spectroscopy revealed the microstructural changes of CNTs after the plasma treatment. The improved field emission properties of CNTs film can be attributed to the generation of a high density of structural defects after treatment, which increased greatly the possible emission active sites. Besides, the formation of the sharpened and open-ended CNTs tips is all helpful for improving the field emission properties of the treated CNTs.     

Investigation of field electron microscope tips bombarded with microparticles at limited field emission currents

Mo, Ta, W, and Re field electron microscope (FEM) tips, bombarded with microparticles at limited field emission currents (400 MΩ resistor in series with the FEM tip) were investigated by means of FEM, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Two groups of tips could be distinguished: One group had a slight tip radius increase to a maximum of 2.5 μm and microcraters were formed along the tip shank. The other group had no detectable tip radius change; however, there was microcrater formation near the tip apex area. FEM patterns showed surface contamination clearly. Heating such contaminated tips and tips where phosphorescent material (Zn:Cd)S had been deposited in less than monolayer concentration by evaporation from a heating coil, resulted in similar sequences of FEM patterns. A new type of microcrater with smooth crater lips could be detected in both groups. These results support the combined microparticle-field emission mechanism [1], which was proposed earlier to be responsible for melting cap and microcrater formation. Excerpts were presented at the 19th Field Emission Symposium, Urbana, Illinois (USA), August 1972.