Nanopillar arrays on semiconductor membranes as electron emission amplifiers

Hua Qin, Hyun Seok Kim, Robert H. Blick

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

A new transmission-type electron multiplier was fabricated from silicon-on-insulator (SOI) material by integrating an array of one-dimensional (1D) silicon nanopillars onto a two-dimensional (2D) silicon membrane. Primary electrons are injected into the nanopillar-membrane (NPM) system from the flat surface of the membrane, while electron emission from the nanopillars is probed by an anode. The secondary electron yield (SEY) from the nanopillars in the current device is found to be about 1.8 times that of the plain silicon membrane. This gain in electron number is slightly enhanced by the electric field applied from the anode. Further optimization of the dimensions of the NPM and an application of field emission promise an even higher gain for detector applications and allow for probing of electronic/mechanical excitations in an NPM system stimulated by incident particles or radiation.

Original languageEnglish
Article number095504
JournalNanotechnology
Volume19
Issue number9
DOIs
StatePublished - 5 Feb 2008

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