Field emission from nanometer-scale tips of crystalline PbZr_xTi_(1-x)O_3

摘要

The authors report field emission from nanometer-sharp tips of polarized PbZr_xTi_(1-x)O_3(PZT), silicon, and platinum. The PZT nanoemitters are fabricated in a batch fabrication process from single-crystal silicon tips that are coated with a 30 nm thick film of crystalline PZT. The nanoemitters start to emit electrons at fields as low as 2V/μm and reach threshold emission, or turn-on, at fields as low as 3.9 V/μm. The turn-on field is 3.9 V/μm for PbZr_xTi_(1-x)O_3, 6.8 V/μm for PbZr_xTi_(1-x)O_3, and 10.75 V/μm for PbZr_xTi_(1-x)O_3. The silicon nanoemitters have an electron emission turn-on field of 7.2 V/μm, and the platinum nanoemitters have an electron emission turn-on field of 5.75 V/μm. Using a Fowler-Nordheim analysis, the calculated effective work function of the PbZr_xTi_(1-x)O_3 film is 1.00 eV, and the field amplification factor is ~1526.