電界イオン顕微鏡と電子顕微鏡による炭素フィールドエミッタの研究

抄録

Surface and crystallographic properties of carbon field emitters are studied by field-ion, field emission, and electron microscopies. Three kinds of carbon fibers : whisker-like carbon fiber, commercial carbon fiber, and glassy carbon fiber are used in the experiments.
Microscopic structure of these carbon fibers consists of fine graphite crystals. The fine graphite crystals in the surface layer of carbon field emitter move easily to occupy more stable arrangements and even chipped off from the surface under a high electric field. The mechanical strength of carbon field emitters in high electric fields depends on the boundary binding forces of fine graphite crystals. The geometrical smoothness of emitter surface is characterized by the unique fine structure of carbon fibers.