Methods of forming field emission tips using deposited particles as an etch mask

摘要

In one aspect, the invention includes a method of forming field emission emitter tips, comprising: a) providing a masking material over a semiconductor substrate to form a masking-material-covered substrate; b) submerging at least a portion of the masking-material-covered semiconductor substrate in a liquid; c) providing particulates suspended on an upper surface of the liquid; d) while the particulates are suspended, moving the submerged masking-material-covered substrate relative to the suspended particulates to form tightly packed monolayer of the particulates supported on the masking material of the masking-material-covered substrate; e) decreasing a dimension of the particulates to leave some portions of the masking material covered by the particulates and other portions of the masking material uncovered by the particulates; f) after decreasing the dimension and while the particulates are supported on the upper surface, exposing the masking-material-covered substrate to first etching conditions which remove uncovered portions of the masking material while leaving covered portions of the masking material over the substrate to define a patterned masking layer; g) removing the particulates; and h) while the patterned masking layer is over the semiconductor substrate, exposing the semiconductor substrate to a second etching conditions to pattern the semiconductor substrate into emitter tips.