Scaleable Carbon Nanotube Field Emitters for Scanning Electron Beam Instruments

Scanning electron beam instruments are used in many industries, including the semiconductor industry and the emerging nanotechnology industry. Currently, there is a need for significant improvement in spatial resolution, signal-to-noise ratio, and processing speed. This project will demonstrate the utility of nano-sized, high-aspect-ratio, cylindrical, carbon-nanotube (CNT) field emitters for Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEMs) and Transmission Electron Microscopes (TEMs). Phase I developed and demonstrated optimal CNT emitter designs, demonstrated the feasibility of fabrication processes for manufacturing CNT emitters, and demonstrated achievement of key figures-of-merit for the proposed optimal CNT field emitters. The CNT emitters were evaluated in a modified commercial SEM, which was used to image a sample, thereby demonstrating proof-of-concept. In Phase II, commercial-grade carbon-nanotube-based field emitters will be designed, and a scaleable fabrication process will be demonstrated. Results will be confirmed by measuring key figures-of-merit of the CNT emitters and evaluating their use in a commercial scanning electron beam instrument. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The CNT emitter technology should directly benefit the ultra-high-resolution imaging of nanoscale structures for materials science biology, medical research, and forensics applications. The technology also may enable development of new multi-beam array tools needed for e-beam lithography, and could extend to miniaturization of e-beam columns.