Ja. Panitz, ELECTROSTATIC REMOVAL OF LITHIUM-FLUORIDE FROM FIELD-EMITTER TIPS AT ELEVATED-TEMPERATURES, Journal of vacuum science & technology. B, Microelectronics and nanometer structures processing, measurement and phenomena, 12(5), 1994, pp. 2889-2893
The electrostatic removal of lithium fluoride (LiF) from field-emitter
tips has been visualized at elevated temperatures in the transmission
electron microscope (TEM). The apex of a field-emitter tip coated wit
h similar to 1500 Angstrom of LiF provides a unique substrate for obse
rving the removal process in the TEM in real time, and its curvature g
enerates the required electrostatic field strength. The influence of t
he imaging electron beam on coating morphology has been visually asses
sed. A LiF coating can tolerate an electron dose of similar to 2000 e(
-)/Angstrom(2) at room temperature without visible damage (at a resolu
tion of 5 Angstrom). At elevated temperatures a higher dose can be tol
erated before visible damage is observed. Removal of LiF coatings at r
oom temperature occurs at 18 MV/cm. At 800 degrees C piecewise removal
of the coating occurs at 9 MV/cm. Synergistic effects of the electron
beam and the electrostatic field on the removal of the coating were n
ot observed. The removal of LiF at any temperature is attributed to fi
eld-induced fatigue stress of the coating. Field desorption does not a
ppear to play a significant role in the removal process. Implications
for the production of ions from lithium fluoride thin films exposed to
high electric fields (in laboratory experiments and in particle beam
fusion accelerators such as PBFA II) are discussed.