Maximizing the notional area in single tip field emitters.

One of the critical aspects in advancing high-brightness field emitter devices is determining the conditions under which single-tip emitters should be constructed to optimize their emission area. Recent experiments have explored varying the axis ratio ξ of the cap of a single-tip emitter, ranging from an oblate semi-spheroid to a prolate shape, mounted on a nearly cylindrical conducting body. In this work, we present a strategy, based on high-accuracy computer simulations using the finite element technique, to maximize the emission area of those single-tip emitters.

Field emitter electrostatics: a review with special emphasis on modern high-precision finite-element modelling.

This review of the quantitative electrostatics of field emitters, covering analytical, numerical and 'fitted formula' approaches, is thought the first of its kind in the 100 years of the subject. The review relates chiefly to situations where emitters operate in an electronically ideal manner, and zero-current electrostatics is applicable. Terminology is carefully described and is 'polarity independent', so that the review applies to both field electron and field ion emitters.

Properties of blade-like field emitters.

Blade-Like Field Emitters (BFE), as defined here, are emitters expanded in one direction, forming a sharp emitting edge instead of a sharp tip. These structures have four main advantages compared to their needle counterparts, i.e.

Numerical analysis of the notional area in cold field electron emission from arrays.

The notional area of field emission is an important parameter to correlate characteristic current density to the emission current, linking field emission theories to experimental observations. Recently, it has been reported that the notional area of emission contributes to the high brightness of large diameter emitters. Thus, it is necessary to understand how the notional area of emission depends on physical and geometrical parameters.

Physics-based derivation of a formula for the mutual depolarization of two post-like field emitters.

Recent analyses of the apex field enhancement factor (FEF) for many forms of field emitter have revealed that the depolarization effect is more persistent with respect to the separation between the emitters than originally assumed. It has been shown that, at sufficiently large separations, the fractional reduction of the FEF decays with the inverse cube power of separation, rather than exponentially. The behavior of the fractional reduction of the FEF encompassing both the range of technological interest [Formula: see text] (c being the separation and h is the height of the emitters) and large separations ([Formula: see text]) has not been predicted by the existing formulas in field emission literature, for post-like emitters of any shape.

Evidence of universal inverse-third power law for the shielding-induced fractional decrease in apex field enhancement factor at large spacings: a response via accurate Laplace-type calculations.

Numerical simulations are important when assessing the many characteristics of field emission related phenomena. In small simulation domains, the electrostatic effect from the boundaries is known to influence the calculated apex field enhancement factor (FEF) of the emitter, but no established dependence has been reported at present. In this work, we report the dependence of the lateral size, L, and the height, H, of the simulation domain on the apex-FEF of a single conducting ellipsoidal emitter.

Close proximity electrostatic effect from small clusters of emitters.

Using a numerical simulation based on the finite-element technique, this work investigates the field emission properties from clusters of a few emitters at close proximity, by analyzing the properties of the maximum local field enhancement factor ([Formula: see text]) and the corresponding emission current. At short distances between the emitters, we show the existence of a nonintuitive behavior, which consists of the increasing of [Formula: see text] as the distance c between the emitters decreases. Here we investigate this phenomenon for clusters with 2, 3, 4 and 7 identical emitters and study the influence of the proximity effect in the emission current, considering the role of the aspect ratio of the individual emitters.

Mechanically stable nanostructures with desirable characteristic field enhancement factors: a response from scale invariance in electrostatics.

This work presents an accurate numerical study of the electrostatics of a system formed by individual nanostructures mounted on support substrate tips, which provides a theoretical prototype for applications in field electron emission or for the construction of tips in probe microscopy that requires high resolution. The aim is to describe the conditions to produce structures mechanically robust with desirable field enhancement factor (FEF). We modeled a substrate tip with a height h 1, radius r 1 and characteristic FEF [Formula: see text], and a top nanostructure with a height h 2, radius [Formula: see text] and FEF [Formula: see text], for both hemispheres on post-like structures.

Field emission from non-uniform carbon nanotube arrays.

Regular arrays of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are frequently used in studies on field emission. However, non-uniformities are always present like dispersions in height, radius, and position. In this report, we describe the effect of these non-uniformities in the overall emission current by simulation.