Abstract:
At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to a propulsion device that ionizes a portion of a medium and ExB drifts the ionized portion providing thrust where the ionized portion is created using high pressure field emitters comprising: a substrate layer; a gate layer; a field emitter tip; and a cover layer, wherein the field emitter tip is configured to emit electrons in a region when there is a potential difference between the gate layer and the field emitter tip, where the cover layer separates an ambient environment at a pressure from the region, and where a substantial portion of the electrons pass through the cover layer.
Abstract:
A method of manufacturing field-emitter arrays by a molding technique includes uniformly controlling a shape of mold holes to obtain field emitter tips having diameters below 100 nm and blunted side edges. Repeated oxidation and etching of a mold substrate formed of single-crystal semiconductor mold wafers is carried out, wherein the mold holes for individual emitters are fabricated by utilizing the crystal orientation dependence of the etching rate.
Abstract:
A method for preparing an iridium tip with atomic sharpness. The method includes tapering an iridium wire to a needle shape and heating the iridium needle in an oxygen atmosphere. Also disclosed is an iridium needle having a pyramidal structure which terminates with a small number of atoms prepared by the methods.
Abstract:
Some embodiments of vacuum electronics call for nanoscale field-enhancing geometries. Methods and apparatus for using nanoparticles to fabricate nanoscale field-enhancing geometries are described herein. Other embodiments of vacuum electronics call for methods of controlling spacing between a control grid and an electrode on a nano- or micron-scale, and such methods are described herein.
Abstract:
An array of carbon nanotube micro-tip structure includes an insulating substrate and a plurality of patterned carbon nanotube film structures. The insulating substrate includes a surface. The surface includes an edge. A plurality of patterned carbon nanotube film structures spaced from each other. Each of the plurality of patterned carbon nanotube film structures is partially arranged on the surface of the insulating substrate. Each of the plurality of patterned carbon nanotube film structures comprises two strip-shaped arms joined together forming a tip portion protruding and suspending from the edge of the surface of the insulating substrate. Each of the two strip-shaped arms comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes parallel to the surface of the insulating substrate.
Abstract:
A method of producing field emitters having improved brightness and durability relying on the creation of a liquid Taylor cone from electrically conductive materials having high melting points. The method calls for melting the end of a wire substrate with a focused laser beam, while imposing a high positive potential on the material. The resulting molten Taylor cone is subsequently rapidly quenched by cessation of the laser power. Rapid quenching is facilitated in large part by radiative cooling, resulting in structures having characteristics closely matching that of the original liquid Taylor cone. Frozen Taylor cones thus obtained yield desirable tip end forms for field emission sources in electron beam applications. Regeneration of the frozen Taylor cones in-situ is readily accomplished by repeating the initial formation procedures. The high temperature liquid Taylor cones can also be employed as bright ion sources with chemical elements previously considered impractical to implement.
Abstract:
A method for producing a nanotip from a tip material provides a substrate which consists of the tip material or has the material in the form of a coating, produces a mask from a mask material selected so that, in a predefined reactive ion etching process, the mask material is removed at a lower etching rate than the tip material, and carries out the reactive ion etching process in an etching chamber. The mask material is additionally selected so that a gaseous component is released therefrom during the reactive ion etching process, the gaseous component not being released from the tip material. The method further comprises detecting the gaseous component while the ion etching process is being carried out, repeatedly determining whether an amount of the gaseous component in the etching chamber reaches a predefined lower threshold, and stopping the reactive ion etching process when the lower threshold is reached.
Abstract:
Methods for fabrication of self-aligned gated tip arrays are described. The methods are performed on a multilayer structure that includes a substrate, an intermediate layer that includes a dielectric material disposed over at least a portion of the substrate, and at least one gate electrode layer disposed over at least a portion of the intermediate layer. The method includes forming a via through at least a portion of the at least one gate electrode layer. The via through the at least one gate electrode layer defines a gate aperture. The method also includes etching at least a portion of the intermediate layer proximate to the gate aperture such that an emitter structure at least partially surrounded by a trench is formed in the multilayer structure.
Abstract:
An electron emission device and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The electron emission device includes: i) a substrate including a metal tip; ii) carbon nano tubes that are positioned on the metal tip; and iii) a lithium layer that is positioned on the carbon nano tubes.
Abstract:
A method of producing field emitters having improved brightness and durability relying on the creation of a liquid Taylor cone from electrically conductive materials having high melting points. The method calls for melting the end of a wire substrate with a focused laser beam, while imposing a high positive potential on the material. The resulting molten Taylor cone is subsequently rapidly quenched by cessation of the laser power. Rapid quenching is facilitated in large part by radiative cooling, resulting in structures having characteristics closely matching that of the original liquid Taylor cone. Frozen Taylor cones thus obtained yield desirable tip end forms for field emission sources in electron beam applications. Regeneration of the frozen Taylor cones in-situ is readily accomplished by repeating the initial formation procedures. The high temperature liquid Taylor cones can also be employed as bright ion sources with chemical elements previously considered impractical to implement.