| The recent resurgence in field emission research has been concentrated around the fabrication methods compatible with MOS fabrication technology. This has also resulted in significant investigation of field emission characteristics of semiconductors (i.e. silicon). Unfortunately, acquisition of field emission current-voltage relationship remains the primary means of characterization for field emitters. As a result, the focus of this dissertation is on the surface physics of silicon field emitters based on emission current-voltage relationship with recommendations to improve emission performance.; Arrays of 10 polysilicon field emitter tips were fabricated using plasma etch and oxidized to form sharp tips. Phosphorus doped polysilicon tips emit at around 10–15 volts, depending on the degree of their sharpness. Similarly, intrinsic polysilicon tips emit at around 50 volts (at 2 μm tip to anode spacing). Field emission data of the diode structures revealed a significant difference between phosphorous doped and intrinsic polysilicon tips. The ϕ 3/2/β vs. applied voltage was obtained from the transconductance data and was used to compare the performance of the doped and intrinsic polysilicon tips. A qualitative comparison of ϕ3/2/β ratio reveals an increase in the effective work function of the intrinsic polysilicon device which is related to the field penetration inside the emitting surfaces. Furthermore, field emission data reveals the conduction limitation of the intrinsic polysilicon films associated with the single carrier injection mechanism. |
