Technique for the Preparation of Ge and Si Field-Emission Cathodes

Abstract

Methods are described for the fabrication of Ge and Si field‐emission cathodes by grinding of single crystal, oriented blanks of the semiconductor followed by electrolytic etching. Highly symmetrical, well formed emitters result. A glow discharge cleaning and shaping technique is presented that leads to atomically clean, well developed surfaces in the field‐emission microscope.