Boron nitride thin-film emitter and production method thereof, and electron emitting method using boron nitride thin-film emitter

摘要

Based on designs concerning boron nitride thin-films each including boron nitride crystals in acute-ended shapes excellent in field electron emission properties, and designs of emitters adopting such thin-films, it is aimed at appropriately controlling a distribution state of such crystals to thereby provide an emitter having an excellent efficiency and thus requiring only a lower threshold electric field for electron emission.;In a design of a boron nitride thin-film emitter comprising crystals that are each represented by a general formula BN, that each include sp³ bonded boron nitride, sp² bonded boron nitride, or a mixture thereof, and that each exhibit an acute-ended shape excellent in field electron emission property; there is controlled an angle of a substrate relative to a reaction gas flow upon deposition of the emitter from a vapor phase, thereby controlling a distribution state of the crystals over a surface of the thin-film.