@inproceedings{PrommesbergerLangerŁawrowskietal., author = {Prommesberger, Christian and Langer, Christoph and Ławrowski, Robert Damian and Dams, Florian and Schreiner, Rupert and Ławrowski, Robert Damian}, title = {Gated p-Si field emitter arrays for sensor applications}, series = {2015 28th International Vacuum Nanoelectronics Conference (IVNC)}, booktitle = {2015 28th International Vacuum Nanoelectronics Conference (IVNC)}, publisher = {IEEE}, doi = {10.1109/IVNC.2015.7225567}, pages = {164 -- 165}, abstract = {We report on gated p-type Si-tip array cathodes for implementation into field emission electron sources for sensor applications. Arrays of 16 and 100 tips with tip heights of 3 μm and tip radii below 30 nm with integrated gate electrodes concentrically positioned 2 μm below the tip apexes were fabricated using an improved process, which leads to an enhanced isolation layer quality with sufficient breakdown field strengths and low leakage currents. Integral measurements with a fixed grid potential of 400 V showed emission currents up to 35 μA for 100 tips at a cathode voltage of 150 V and an almost negligible parasitic gate current. The array with 16 p-type Si-tips showed a significant stabilization of the emission current in the range of 0.3 - 0.4 μA, for cathode voltages between 90 V and 150 V. The current fluctuation in this saturation regime was measured for 10 minutes and a value of less than ± 1\% was observed. No degradation of the cathode was found after 6 hours of operation at a constant cathode voltage of 100 V and a constant grid voltage of 400 V.}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{LangerŁawrowskiPrommesbergeretal., author = {Langer, Christoph and Ławrowski, Robert Damian and Prommesberger, Christian and Dams, Florian and Serbun, Pavel and Bachmann, Michael and M{\"u}ller, G{\"u}nter and Schreiner, Rupert}, title = {High aspect ratio silicon tip cathodes for application in field emission electron sources}, series = {2014 27th International Vacuum Nanoelectronics Conference (IVNC), 6-10 July 2014, Engelberg, Switzerland}, booktitle = {2014 27th International Vacuum Nanoelectronics Conference (IVNC), 6-10 July 2014, Engelberg, Switzerland}, publisher = {IEEE}, doi = {10.1109/IVNC.2014.6894824}, pages = {222 -- 223}, abstract = {Precisely aligned arrays of sharp tip structures on top of elongated pillars were realized by using an improved fabrication process including an additional inductively-coupled-plasma reactive-ion etching step. Arrays of n-type and p-type silicon with 271 tips have been fabricated and investigated. Those structures have a total height of 5-6 µm and apex radii less than 20nm. Integral field emission measurements of the arrays yielded low onset-fields in the range of 8-12V=µm and field enhancement factors between 300 and 700. The I-E curves of n-type structures showed the usual Fowler-Nordheim behaviour, whereas p-type structures revealed a significant saturation region due to the limited number of electrons in the conduction band and a further carrier depletion effect caused by the pillar. The maximum integral current in the saturation region was 150 nA at fields above 30V=µm. An excellent stability of the emission current of less than ± 2\% fluctuation was observed in the saturation region. For n-type Si a maximum integral current of 10 µA at 24V=µm and an average current stability with a fluctuation of ± 50\% were measured.}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{PrommesbergerLangerŁawrowskietal., author = {Prommesberger, Christian and Langer, Christoph and Ławrowski, Robert Damian and Muller, F. and Dams, Florian and Schreiner, Rupert and Serbun, Pavel and M{\"u}ller, G{\"u}nter}, title = {Comparison of integral and local field-emission properties of Mo-coated p-Si tip arrays}, series = {2015 28th International Vacuum Nanoelectronics Conference (IVNC), 13-17 July 2015, Guangzhou, China}, booktitle = {2015 28th International Vacuum Nanoelectronics Conference (IVNC), 13-17 July 2015, Guangzhou, China}, publisher = {IEEE}, doi = {10.1109/IVNC.2015.7225579}, pages = {192 -- 193}, abstract = {Silicon tip arrays were fabricated by means of reactive ion etching followed by oxidation for final sharpening and molybdenum thin film coating. The field-emission (FE) properties of these Mo-coated p-Si tip arrays were systemically investigated by different measurement techniques. Integral measurements in diode configuration yielded a turn-on field (for 1 nA) of 22 V/μm and nearly stable FE currents up to 6.6 μA at 38 V/μm. The effective field enhancements factor extracted from the FN plots is about 180. Detailed investigations of these FE arrays were also performed by means of field emission scanning microscopy combined with electron microscopy. A rather limited efficiency of the tips (50\% at 1500 V) and FE homogeneity (180 nA at 700 V) might be correlated with the varying morphology of the tips and the presence of oxides. Local I-V measurements of selected single tips revealed both activation and deactivation effects, which finally resulted in nearly reproducible I-V curves. Current stability measurements at a constant voltage showed rather large fluctuations (0.1-1 μA) of the FE current, which could be reduced up to 1.7\% by using of a PID-regulated voltage source. SEM images showed unchanged tip shape after the current processing.}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{LangerPrommesbergerŁawrowskietal., author = {Langer, Christoph and Prommesberger, Christian and Ławrowski, Robert Damian and M{\"u}ller, F. and Schreiner, Rupert and Serbun, Pavel and M{\"u}ller, G{\"u}nter}, title = {Enhanced field emission from p-doped black silicon on pillar structures}, series = {2015 28th International Vacuum Nanoelectronics Conference (IVNC), 13-17 July 2015, Guangzhou, China}, booktitle = {2015 28th International Vacuum Nanoelectronics Conference (IVNC), 13-17 July 2015, Guangzhou, China}, publisher = {IEEE}, doi = {10.1109/IVNC.2015.7225547}, pages = {104 -- 105}, abstract = {Aligned square arrays of black silicon (b-Si) on top of pillars were fabricated on p-type silicon substrate by a deep-etching step combined with a b-Si process. Two 10×10 arrays with pillar heights of 8 μm and 20 μm and one b-Si reference sample without pillars were investigated. Integral field emission (FE) measurements of the arrays yielded rather low onset-fields between 6.4 V/μm and 13.5 V/μm and field enhancement factors between 430 and 800. The I-V curves showed typical Fowler-Nordheim behavior for low fields, whereas a saturation region was observed at higher fields. The maximum integral current in the saturation region was 8 μA at a field of 20 V/μm. The stability of the emission current was investigated over 3 hours and revealed moderate fluctuations of ± 8\% in the saturation region. Voltage scans showed well-aligned FE from nearly all pillars.}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{BachmannDamsDuesbergetal., author = {Bachmann, Michael and Dams, Florian and D{\"u}sberg, F. and Hofmann, Martin and Pahlke, Andreas and Langer, Christoph and Ławrowski, Robert Damian and Prommesberger, Christian and Schreiner, Rupert}, title = {Stability investigation of high aspect ratio n-type silicon field emitter arrays}, series = {2015 28th International Vacuum Nanoelectronics Conference (IVNC), 13-17 July 2015, Guangzhou, China}, booktitle = {2015 28th International Vacuum Nanoelectronics Conference (IVNC), 13-17 July 2015, Guangzhou, China}, publisher = {IEEE}, doi = {10.1109/IVNC.2015.7225584}, pages = {204 -- 205}, abstract = {Electron sources based on silicon field emitter arrays, produced in processes based on semiconductor technology, are good candidates for a miniaturized X-ray source. A key parameter for this application is the stability of the X-ray photon flux and, thus, the emission current. In the present work we have investigated the influence of the residual gas pressure and a resistor in series on the emission stability of a high aspect ratio n-type silicon emitter array with hybrid extraction electrode. An increase of current fluctuations was found for pressures above 10-6 mbar. High resistances in series to the emitter array alter the emission characteristics, but greatly suppress spikes in the emission current and improve its stability. This, however, strongly depends on the bias point. The field enhancement factor is not affected by the resistance. In a long term measurement the emission current was found to be constant after an initial phase of degradation.}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{SchreinerLangerPrommesbergeretal., author = {Schreiner, Rupert and Langer, Christoph and Prommesberger, Christian and Ławrowski, Robert Damian and Dams, Florian and Bachmann, Michael and D{\"u}sberg, F. and Hofmann, Martin and Pahlke, Andreas and Serbun, Pavel and Mingels, Stephan and M{\"u}ller, G{\"u}nter}, title = {Semiconductor field emission electron sources using a modular system concept for application in sensors and x-ray-sources}, series = {2015 28th International Vacuum Nanoelectronics Conference (IVNC), 13-17 July 2015, Guangzhou, China}, booktitle = {2015 28th International Vacuum Nanoelectronics Conference (IVNC), 13-17 July 2015, Guangzhou, China}, publisher = {IEEE}, doi = {10.1109/IVNC.2015.7225572}, pages = {178 -- 179}, abstract = {Semiconductor field emitters are suitable candidates for applications, which require a very stable field emission (FE) current and a high emission uniformity over the entire emission area. By using different materials and geometries, we are able to vary the FE characteristics within a wide range. Each specific application requires its own optimized design for the cathode as well as for the other parts of the FE electron source. To meet as many of these requirements as possible while using only a limited number of different prefabricated components, we established a modular system concept for our FE electron source. This allows the implementation of almost every cathode material. For first characterizations, we used gated p-type Si cathodes with 16 tips. We obtained stable FE currents of 0.4 μA for a grid-potential of 400 V and a gate potential of 100 V. Almost 100\% of the electrons are emitted towards the grid-electrode. Parasitic leakage paths, as well as the electron emission towards the gate-electrode can be neglected. Approximately 10\% of the electrons are transmitted through the grid and reach the external anode. This is in good agreement with the optical transmission through the grid-mesh.}, language = {en} }