Field emission properties of silicon field emitter arrays with volcano-shaped gate structure

Field emission properties of silicon field emitter arrays (Si-FEAs) with sputtered gate structures were described and analyzed about two different tip structures surrounded by volcano-shaped gates. The resulted field emission characteristics showed that some of the emitted electrons are diverted to the gate structure because of the asymmetrical geometry of fabricated Si-FEAs with volcano-shaped gate structures. However, although the gate structures of fabricated FEAs had fragile and non-uniform edged shapes as a result of the shadow effect during sputtering and lift-off process in ultrasonic bath, it was possible to obtain stable field emission properties as a result of electrical aging effects on the edge of the non-uniform gate electrode as well as the surface of silicon tip after repeated measurements. From the Fowler–Nordheim (F–N) plots and F–N equations, it was confirmed that the field enhancement factor was abruptly changed through the electrical aging and was more influenced in case of the volcano-shaped lateral tip structure.