Bulk molybdenum field emitters by inductively coupled plasma etching

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Physics

Background:

• Field emitter arrays are crucial for vacuum microelectronic devices.
• Molybdenum is a promising material for field emitters due to its properties.
• Fabrication techniques directly impact emitter performance and uniformity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report the fabrication of inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etched, diode-type, bulk molybdenum field emitter arrays.
• To systematically investigate emitter etching conditions based on mask geometry and process parameters.
• To assess the field electron emission performance of the fabricated arrays.

Main Methods:

• Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching was employed for molybdenum.
• Emitter etching conditions were varied concerning etch mask geometry and process parameters.
• Characterization of tip radius and aspect ratio was performed.

Main Results:

• Optimized etching conditions yielded high uniformity and aspect ratios greater than 10.
• Field emitter arrays with 25.5 nm-radius tips were successfully fabricated using aperture masks (4.45 μm diameter).
• The field electron emission performance of the fabricated molybdenum tips was evaluated.

Conclusions:

• ICP etching is an effective method for fabricating high-performance molybdenum field emitter arrays.
• Precise control over etching parameters and mask design is critical for achieving desired tip geometry and uniformity.
• The developed fabrication process shows potential for applications requiring efficient field electron emission.