Study of field emission under extremely low bias

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K13504
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Condensed matter physics I
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Mizuno Seigi 九州大学, 総合理工学研究院, 教授 (60229705)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 電界電子放出 / タングステン針 / 電界誘起ガスエッチング / 電界イオン顕微鏡 / 表面構造解析 / 低速電子回折

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Extremely low-bias field emissions were studied using a <110>-oriented tungsten tip. The tip apex was sharpened using field-assisted oxygen etching. The emission pattern shows a sharp spot at the liquid N2 temperature, which changes to a ring shape at room temperature. This is a reversible change based on the temperature. It is difficult to explain such a phenomenon through simple field emissions; however, exoelectron emission or charging of ceramic parts may be able to explain it. Besides the extremely low-bias field emissions, the method of producing low-bias field emissions with a small opening angle (less than 5°) have been established reproducibly.
The surface structure of the LaB6(100) single crystal was determined using low-energy electron diffraction analysis. The distance between the topmost La atom and second layer B atom was contracted by 30 pm. The surface structures of the SiC and Cu substrates were also investigated.

Free Research Field

表面科学