Significant improvement of the emission property of Spindt-type platinum field emitters by operation in carbon monoxide ambient

The emission property of a Spindt-type platinum field emitter was greatly i mproved by operating in carbon monoxide ambient with appropriate operating parameters. After sufficient aging, the emitter was operated in carbon mono xide ambient up to 10(-3) Pa, at the emission current of 1 mu A. The emissi on current first decreased in accordance with the gas introduction, but tur ned to show rapid increase when the gas pressure was increased to 10(-3) Pa . The current stability, as well as the operating voltage, was improved by this treatment. The apex of the emitter was examined with the Seppen-Katamu ki analysis technique, in which detailed information on the emission area a nd effective work function can be read from the diagram plotted with the in tercept and slope of a Fowler-Nordheim plot. The analysis suggested reducti on of the effective work function is a major reason for the improvement of the emission property. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951( 00)02430-X].