Micro electron field emitter array with focus lenses for multi-electron beam lithography

We report on the fabrication and characterization of a monolithic electron field emitter device with focus lenses for multi-electron beam lithography and high density nano data storage. An array of individually addressable emitters was formed on oxidized etch pits of an SOI (Silicon on Insulator) wafer. Si active layer of the SOI (Silicon on Insulator) wafer. Si active layer of the SOI with gate hole array that self-aligned with the emitters was used as a common gate electrode. An array of cylindrical holes formed on the Si base of the SOI was used as a common lens electrode. The emitters, gate and lens array components are isolated each other by 2 /spl mu/m-thick thermal SiO/sub 2/ layers. For a single Pt emitter with gate hole of 2 /spl mu/m diameter and anode voltage V/sub anod/=0.7 kV, the emission current started at a gate voltage Vg=90 V and reached to 1.2 /spl mu/A current and 0.84 mW beam power at V/sub g/=300 V. The emission current was found to be stable with a fluctuation smaller than 10%/h. The emitter-gate and emitter-lens leak currents were found to be less then 1% compared with emission current. The focusing characteristic of the device was experimentally confirmed. A simulation work has shown that the beam with emission cone angle within 15/spl deg/ can be focused at a spot of 40 nm at a lens voltage, V/sub lens/=-6 V.