Advanced analysis of copper nano-tips as cold field emission electron sources

Abstract

Field electron emission measurements were performed on high purity copper emitters, with apex radii in the nanometer and micrometer ranges, produced by an electrochemical etching technique with phosphoric acid (H3PO4) solution. The measurements were carried out in a high vacuum in rande of 10-5 mbar. The current- voltage characteristics (I-V) have been studied and analyzed using Murphy–Good (MG) method type plots.