Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B, Vol.15, No.2, 488-490, 1997
Fully Large-Scale Integration-Process-Compatible Si Field Emitter Technology with High Controllability of Emitter Height and Sharpness
We developed a fully large-scale integration (LSI)-process-compatible technology with excellent control of emitter shape for the first time. The fabricated emitter tip configuration has two-step-cone shape whose upper and lower cone configurations are controllable independently. While the upper parts determine the emitter tip sharpness and the apex angle, the lower parts determine the emitter height by utilizing two-step thermal oxidation for emitter tip sharpening in addition to anisotropic reactive ion etching for the emitter height control. The stable and uniform thermal oxidation for sharpening emitters produces excellent uniformity, and the process, without liftoff, is matched with Si LSI technology completely. The obtained 1944 tip emitter with 800 nm gate diameter showed low threshold voltage of 35 V.