Progress toward realization of the digital electrostatic e-beam array lithography (DEAL) concept

Prototype field emission devices have been fabricated in the 300-1000 eV range using vertically aligned carbon nanofibers as the field emitter. The devices are fabricated using a self-aligned process for the extraction gate opening and the focus grid opening is defined lithographically. Field emission tests of the completed devices are carried out in a vacuum chamber with a phosphor anode and show that the emission follows Fowler-Nordheim characteristics. A technique to selectively grow fibers with W in digitally addressable field-emission array (DAFEA) prototype devices is demonstrated by nanoscale electron beam induced deposition (EBID). A non-organometallic precursor, WF₆, is used to deposited metallic W fibers. Vacuum electrical testing revels that electrons are successfully extracted from the W nanofiber tip and have been used to draw lines in PMMA coated glass substrates in the DEAL lithography testbed. This growth technique can be used to repair DAFEA emitters thus providing a means to produce a reliable massive parallel e-beam write head.