Micro Proximity Electron Source with Apertured Electron Window for Nanolithography in Atmosphere

Abstract

A miniature electron source with small electron windows for use in atmospheric environment has been developed. Electron windows made of 50-nm thick silicon with sizes of 250 nm diameter and 1.5 µm square are fabricated at the bottom of an aperture. Electrons from carbon nanocoils as emitters can be emitted by field emission and transmitted into atmospheric pressure via submicron electron window. The transmittance via the electron window and current density are evaluated to be 4% and 90 pA/µm 2 , respectively. At the acceleration voltage of 10 kV, electrons penetrated the electron window, ant its pattern was transferred on resist.

Single Wafer Surface Micromachined Field Emission Electron Source

“…Free electron sources are needed in many applications like e-beam based material analysis [1], ebeam lithography [2], displays, but also sensing devices like vacuum gauges [3] and flow sensors [4], etc. However, for handling stable electron emissions, high vacuum conditions are needed, which require complex (and thus expensive) systems.…”