Multi-tip cones induced by ion-bombardment

Arrays of multi-tip silicon cones covering large areas of Si(100) substrates were fabricated using argon ion beam bombardment and nickel as a seeding material. Each cone head split into a number of needle tips with a lateral size of tens of nanometers. The morphology of the cones was studied with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis revealed nickel constituents on the needle tips. In terms of experimental observation the formation mechanism of the multi-tip cones was discussed. Studying the field electron emission properties of fabricated silicon multi-tips showed a turn-on field to be about 25 V/mum. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.