Micro-Nano Fabrication of Self-Aligned Silicon Electron Field Emitter Arrays Using Pulsed KrF Laser Irradiation

• Published in: Integrated ferroelectrics 2020-01, Vol.204 (1), p.47-57
• Main Authors: Shamim, Mohammed Zubair Mohammed, Persheyev, Saydulla, Zaidi, Monji, Usman, Mohammed, Shiblee, Mohammad, Ali, Syed Jaffar, Rahman, Mohammad Rizwanur
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anodic coatings; Backplanes; Conical bodies; Crystallization; electron field emission display; Emission analysis; Emitters; Emitters (electron); excimer laser crystallization; Excimer lasers; Excimers; Field emission; Flat panel displays; Hydrogenated amorphous silicon; Indium tin oxides; Krypton; Krypton fluoride lasers; Laser arrays; Laser processing; Lasers; Light emission; Phosphors; Process parameters; Self alignment; Silicon; Silicon films; Thin films
• ISSN: 1058-4587; 1607-8489
• DOI: 10.1080/10584587.2019.1674988

Self-aligned silicon micro-nano structured electron field emitter arrays were fabricated using pulsed krypton fluoride (KrF) excimer laser crystallization (ELC) of hydrogenated amorphous thin silicon films (a-Si:H) on metal coated backplane samples. We investigate the effect of laser processing parameters on the growth of micro-nano conical structures on the surface of the thin silicon films. Randomly oriented conical structures as high as 1 µm were fabricated using laser pulse frequency of 100 Hz and sample stage scanning speed of 0.25 mm/sec. Best field emission (FE) results were measured from samples with the highest surface features with FE currents in the order of 10 −6 A and low turn-on emission threshold of ∼14 V/µm. Light emission from the prototype demonstrators was tested using bespoke driver electronics and planar anodes coated with indium tin-oxide (ITO) and medium voltage FE phosphors, to exemplify their usage for future flat panel display technologies.