Stable Field Emissions from Zirconium Carbide Nanoneedle Electron Source

Yimeng Wu; Jie Tang; Shuai Tang; You-Hu Chen; Ta-Wei Chiu; Masaki Takeguchi; Ayako Hashimoto; Lu-Chang Qin

doi:10.3390/nano15020093

Article Stable Field Emissions from Zirconium Carbide Nanoneedle Electron Source

Yimeng Wu (National Institute for Materials Science) ; Jie Tang (National Institute for Materials Science) ; Shuai Tang ; You-Hu Chen (National Institute for Materials Science) ; Ta-Wei Chiu (National Institute for Materials Science) ; Masaki Takeguchi (National Institute for Materials Science) ; Ayako Hashimoto (National Institute for Materials Science) ; Lu-Chang Qin

Download file (2.05 MB)
Download as zip (1.82 MB)

Collection

Citation

Yimeng Wu, Jie Tang, Shuai Tang, You-Hu Chen, Ta-Wei Chiu, Masaki Takeguchi, Ayako Hashimoto, Lu-Chang Qin. Stable Field Emissions from Zirconium Carbide Nanoneedle Electron Source. Nanomaterials. 2025, 15 (2), 93. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15020093

(BibTeX)

Description:

(abstract)

In this study, a single zirconium carbide (ZrC) nanoneedle structure oriented in the <100> direction was fabricated by a dual-beam focused ion beam (FIB-SEM) system, and its field emission characteristics and emission current stability were evaluated. Benefiting from controlled fabrication with real-time observation, the ZrC nanoneedle has a smooth surface and a tip with a radius of curvature smaller than 20 nm and a length greater than 2 μm. Due to its low work function and well-controlled morphology, the ZrC nanoneedle emitter, positioned in a high-vacuum chamber, was able to generate a single and collimated electron beam with a current of 1.2 nA at a turn-on voltage of 210 V, and the current increased to 100 nA when the applied voltage reached 325 V. After the treatment of the nanoneedle tip, the field emission exhibited a stable emission for 150 min with a fluctuation of 1.4% and an emission current density as high as 1.4 × 1010 A m−2. This work presents an efficient and controllable method for fabricating nanostructures, and this method is applicable to the transition metal compound ZrC as a field emission emitter, demonstrating its potential as an electron source for electron-beam devices.

Rights: