Self-organized laser-produced Si and Ni micro-tip field endfter arrays enchanced with carbon nanotubes

Abstract

Self-organized Si and metal micro-tip effective field electron emission arrays were produced using laser beam evaporation. Simple and relatively cheap production method of the quazi-periodical micro-tip arrays, which does not require any lithographic and microelectronic procedures, allows to form field electron emitters with very low emission threshold field of 1-5 V/w. Further improvement of the emission uniformity and the threshold field for the arrays can be achieved by modification of our production technique and introducing of carbon nanotube incorporation during the laser beam evaporation process. Quazi-periodical arrays of Si and Ni micro-tips with carbon nanotubes incorporated into the surface layer were produced by laser-assisted evaporation of Si or Ni wafers in vacuum.