Microsc. Microanal. Microstruct. 8, 355-368 (1997)
DOI: 10.1051/mmm:1997127

Fabrication of Nano-Tips by Carbon Contamination in a Scanning Electron Microscope for Use in Scanning Probe Microscopy and Field Emission

Massimo Antognozzi, Andrea Sentimenti et Ugo Valdrè

INFM and Centre of Electron Microscopy, Department of Physics of the University, via Irnerio 46, 40126 Bologna, Italy

Abstract
Results are reported on a systematic study addressed to an effective fabrication of nano-tips by means of carbon contamination in a scanning electron microscope. Nano-tips with angular aperture of 10°, apical radius of about 5 nm, 1m long can be efficiently produced by our method in less than 60 s of electron beam exposure; it involves, in particular, successive focusing during tip growth and the use of a carbon block as a source of contaminant. These tips have been used as high aspect ratio and low capillary force probes in atomic force microscopy, and as nano-sized field emitters for electron guns.

PACS
6116P - Scanning probe microscopy determinations of structures.
6116D - Electron microscopy determinations of structures.
7970 - Field emission and field ionization.
0780 - Electron and ion microscopes and techniques.

Key words
atomic force microscopy -- electron field emission -- nanotechnology -- scanning electron microscopy -- scanning electron microscope -- nanotip fabrication -- carbon contamination -- scanning probe microscopy -- focusing -- carbon block -- low capillary force probes -- high aspect ratio probes -- atomic force microscopy -- nano sized field emitters -- electron guns


© EDP Sciences 1997