SiC-capped nanotip arrays for field emission with ultralow turn-on field

Silicon nanotips with tip diameter and height measuring 1 nm and 1 μm, respectively, and density in the range of 109-3x1011 cm-2, were fabricated monolithically from silicon wafers by electron cyclotron resonance plasma etching technique at a temperature of 200 deg. C. Field emission current densities of 3.0 mA/cm2 at an applied field of ∼1.0 V/μm was obtained from these silicon nanotips. High-resolution transmission electron microscope and Auger electron spectroscopy analyses concluded that the nanotips are composed of monolithic silicon and nanometer-size SiC cap at the top. A 0.35 V/μm turn-on field to draw a 10 μA/cm2 current density was demonstrated, which is much lower than other reported materials. The excellent field emission property demonstrated by these nanotips, which were fabricated by a process integrable to the existing silicon device technology at low temperatures, is a step forward in achieving low-power field emission displays and vacuum electronic devices