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Ion-Beam-Synthesised Ag-SiO2 Nanocomposite Layers for Electron Field Emission Devices

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 February 2011

Wei-Mong Tsang ,
V. Stolojan ,
A. A. D. T. Adikaari ,
S. P. Wong  and
S. R. P. Silva
Wei-Mong Tsang
Affiliation:
w.tsang@eim.surrey.ac.uk, Advanced Technology Institute, School of Electronics and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7XH, United Kingdom, +44 01483 686088, +44 01483 689404
V. Stolojan
Affiliation:
Advanced Technology Institute, School of Electronics and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, GU2 7XH, U.K.
A. A. D. T. Adikaari
Affiliation:
Advanced Technology Institute, School of Electronics and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, GU2 7XH, U.K.
S. P. Wong
Affiliation:
Department of Electronic Engineering & Materials Science and Technology Research Centre, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
S. R. P. Silva
Affiliation:
Advanced Technology Institute, School of Electronics and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, GU2 7XH, U.K.
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Abstract

Ag-SiO2 nanocomposite layers were synthesised by Ag+ implantation into thermally oxidised SiO2 layers and demonstrated to have excellent field emission (FE) properties. These nanocomposite layers can give an emission current of 1 nA at electric fields less than 20 V/μm, compared to several thousand volts per micrometre of pure metal surfaces. Their fabrication processes are fully compatible with existing integrated circuit technology. By correlating the FE results with other characterisation techniques including atomic force microscopy, Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy, it is clearly demonstrated that there are two types of field enhancement mechanisms responsible for the excellent FE properties of these cathodes. Firstly, the electrically conductive Ag nano-clusters embedded in the insulating SiO2 matrix give rise to a local electric field enhancement due to an electrical inhomogeneity effect and secondly, the dense surface protrusions provide a geometric local electric field enhancement. The FE properties of these layers are critically dependent on the size and distribution of the Ag clusters, which can be controlled by the Ag dose and modified by the post-implantation pulse annealing with a high power KrF Excimer laser operating at 248 nm.

Keywords

field emissionnanostructureion-implantation
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 908: Symposium OO – Growth, Modification, and Analysis by Ion Beams at the Nanoscale , 2005 , 0908-OO07-02
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2006

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