Influence of oxidation treatment on ballistic electron surface-emitting display of porous silicon

• Published in: Thin solid films 2012-10, Vol.521, p.222-225
• Main Authors: Du, Wentao, Zhang, Xiaoning, Zhang, Yujuan, Wang, Wenjiang, Duan, Xiaotao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Current density; Electrochemical oxidation; Electron and ion emission by liquids and solids; impact phenomena; Emission; Exact sciences and technology; Field emission; Field emission, ionization, evaporation, and desorption; Oxidation; Physics; Polystyrene resins; Porous silicon; Rapid thermal oxidation; Scanning electron microscope; Structure and morphology; thickness; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thin film structure and morphology; Voltage
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2011.11.070

Two groups of porous silicon (PS) samples are treated by rapid thermal oxidation (RTO) and electrochemical oxidation (ECO), respectively. Scanning electron microscopy images show that PS samples are segmented into two layers. Oxidized film layer is formed on the top surface of PS samples treated by RTO while at the bottom of PS samples treated by ECO. Both ECO and RTO treatment can make emission current density, diode current density, and emission efficiency of PS increase with the bias voltage increasing. The emission current density and the field emission enhancement factor β of PS sample treated by RTO are larger than that treated by ECO. The Fowler–Nordheim curves of RTO and ECO samples are linear which indicates that high electric field exists on the oxidized layer and field emission occurs whether PS is treated by RTO or ECO.