Method of forming pointed structures
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
InventorDiane E. Pugel
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Abstract
A method of forming an array of pointed structures comprises depositing a ferrofluid on a substrate, applying a magnetic field to the ferrofluid to generate an array of surface protrusions, and solidifying the surface protrusions to form the array of pointed structures. The pointed structures may have a tip radius ranging from approximately 10 nm to approximately 25 μm. Solidifying the surface protrusions may be carried out at a temperature ranging from approximately 10 degrees C. to approximately 30 degrees C.
Claims30
A method of forming an array of pointed structure field emitters, comprising:
- depositing a ferrofluid contained in a carrier liquid in one of a droplet or spin-coated form on a substrate;
- applying a combined uniform magnetic field substantially perpendicular to the substrate to the ferrofluid by disposing a first magnetic field generating element proximate to a first surface of the substrate and disposing a second magnetic field element generating element proximate to a second surface of the substrate to generate an array of surface protrusions and coating the pointed structure field emitters with wide bandgap semiconductors for absorbing and emitting electrons in the ultra violet wavelength region;
- solidifying by evaporating the carrier liquid at approximately room temperature, and aligning the surface protrusions thus maximizing the aspect ratio of said protrusions to form the array of pointed structure field emitters.
A method of forming at least one pointed structure field emitter, comprising:
- depositing a ferrofluid contained in a carrier liquid in one of a droplet or spin-coated form on a substrate;
- applying a combined uniform magnetic field substantially perpendicular to the substrate to the ferrofluid by disposing a first magnetic field generating element proximate to a first surface of the substrate and disposing a second magnetic field element generating element proximate to a second surface of the substrate to generate at least one surface protrusion;
- coating the pointed structure field emitters with wide bandgap semiconductors for absorbing and emitting electrons in the ultra violet wavelength region;
- solidifying by evaporating the carrier liquid at approximately room temperature, and aligning the at least one surface protrusion thus maximizing the aspect ratio of said protrusion to form the at least one pointed structure field emitter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.