Publication Date
2020
Document Type
Dissertation/Thesis
First Advisor
Korampally, Venumadhav
Degree Name
M.S. (Master of Science)
Legacy Department
Department of Electrical Engineering
Abstract
Large area silicon nano-tip arrays have been predominantly used as cold cathode electron sources in the wide range of field emission applications. Various fabrication methodologies have been developed over the decades to obtain sharp-pointed field emitters. In this thesis, we mainly emphasized on reproducing high aspect ratio field emitters and to study their surface topographical changes encountered through reactive ion etching. A discrete set of high-density field emitters have been fabricated over the large area surfaces through a three-step nanofabrication process. The surface curvatures of the obtained emitter tips are finely tuned with multiple oxidation cycles to achieve a tip’s radius of less than 5 nm. In this thesis, we have also developed a novel means of micro-scale patterning mechanism to fabricate arrays of single tips with the tip to tip inter-spacing arrangement. This will significantly allow us to understand the local field emission characteristics in greater detail. Our approach combines conventional photolithographic patterning, nano-transfer printing, and micro/nanosphere lithography to obtain the desired spatial patterns of the particles, with resolution only limited by the resolution offered by photolithography to pattern discrete regions of the micro/nanoparticles down to single-particle patterning. The effect of pre-cleaning steps involved in diamond film deposition over the high aspect ratio field emitters has also been discussed in brief.
Recommended Citation
Sankabathula, Giridhar Tulasi Ram, "Shape Tuning of Silicon Nano-Tip Arrays Through Reactive Ion Etching For Cold Field Emission" (2020). Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations. 7627.
https://huskiecommons.lib.niu.edu/allgraduate-thesesdissertations/7627
Extent
113 pages
Language
eng
Publisher
Northern Illinois University
Rights Statement
In Copyright
Rights Statement 2
NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.
Media Type
Text
Included in
Materials Science and Engineering Commons, Nanotechnology Commons, Plasma and Beam Physics Commons
