Field emission current cleaning and annealing of microfabricated cold cathodes

Abstract

Thermal cleaning and annealing by the extracted field emission current has been used to achieve and maintain stable emission characteristics with microfabricated cold field emission cathodes. Our studies show that the cathode tip surface can be smoothed, recrystallized, and at least partially cleaned of surface adsorbates. The result is a significant decrease in emission current noise and recovery of the initial current–voltage characteristics of the cathode following surface contamination.