Method of making a field emission electron source with random micro-tip structures
AssigneesMicroelectronics and Computer Corporation, SI Diamond Technology, Inc.
InventorsChenggang Xie, Nalin Kumar, Howard K. Schmidt
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Abstract
A system and method is available for fabricating a field emitter device, where in an emitter material, such as copper, is deposited over a resistive layer which has been deposited upon a substrate. Two ion beam sources are utilized. The first ion beam source is directed at a target material, such as molybdenum, for sputtering molybdenum onto the emitter material. The second ion beam source is utilized to etch the emitter material to produce cones or micro-tips. A low work function material, such as amorphous diamond, is then deposited over the micro-tips.
Claims18
A method of fabricating a field emitter device, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a substrate;
- depositing an emitter material on said substrate;
- sputtering a seed material onto a surface of said emitter material by bombarding a target material with a first ion beam;
- and
- etching said emitter material, which has been sputtered with said seed material, with a second ion beam, wherein said substrate includes a layer of a second material on which said emitter material has been deposited by said depositing step, further comprising the step of:
- stopping said etching step upon detection of a predetermined amount of said second material.
A method of fabricating a field emitter device, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a substrate;
- depositing an emitter material on said substrate;
- sputtering a seed material onto a surface of said emitter material by bombarding a target material with a first ion beam;
- etching said emitter material, which has been sputtered with said seed material, with a second ion beam;
- depositing a layer of insulating material on said etched emitter material so that tips of cones of said emitter material protrude from said layer of insulating material;
- and
- depositing a low work function material on said tips of said cones of said emitter material.
A method of fabricating a field emitter device, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing the substrate
- depositing an emitter material on said substrate;
- sputtering a seed material onto a surface of said emitter material by bombarding a target material with a first ion beam;
- etching said emitter material, which has been sputtered with said seed material, with a second ion beam;
- depositing a layer of low work function material on said etched emitter material;
- and depositing a layer of insulating material on said layer of low work function material.
A system for fabricating randomly located micro-tipped structures of a first material, said system comprising:
- means for depositing an emitter material on a substrate;
- means for sputtering a seed material onto a surface of said emitter material by bombarding a target of said seed material with a first ion beam originating from a first ion beam source;
- and
- means for etching said emitter material, which has been sputtered with said seed material, with a second ion beam originating from a second ion beam source, wherein said substrate includes a layer of a second material on which said emitter material has been deposited, said system further comprising:
- means for detecting a predetermined amount of said second material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.