Field emitters with nanoscale tips based on Mo oxide fabricated by electrochemical methods

Abstract

Field emitters with nanoscale tips and a fabrication technique using a nanoscale gap are described. Each fabrication technique makes it possible to form emitters on a meter-scale glass substrate. The emitter has a configuration with one side gate to reduce the electron scattering losses at the counter electrode to improve the emission efficiency. All thin film layers constituting the emitter are fabricated by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition and sputtering deposition. Nanoscale tips are formed between a shallow gap less than 7 nm deep by the joule heating of a Mo complex oxide, which is produced by the electro chemical etching of a deposited Mo layer. To our knowledge, this is the first work that shows a uniform efficiency of 5% or more achieved at an anode voltage of 10 kV and an operation voltage of 23 V.