Macroscopic electrical field distribution and field-induced surface stresses of needle-shaped field emitters

One major concern since the development of the field ion microscope is the mechanical strength of the specimens. The macroscopic shape of the imaging tip greatly influences field-induced stresses and there is merit in further study of this phenomenon from a classical perspective. Understanding the geometrical, as opposed to localized electronic, factors that affect the stress might improve the quality and success rate of atom probe experiments. This study uses macroscopic electrostatic principles and finite element modelling to investigate field-induced stresses in relation to the shape of the tip. Three two-dimensional idealized models are considered, namely hyperbolic, parabolic and sphere-on-orthogonal-cone; the shapes of which are compared to experimental tips prepared by electro-polishing. Three dimensional morphologies of both a nano-porous and single-crystal aluminium tip are measured using electron tomography to quantitatively test the assumption of cylindrical symmetry for electro-polished tips. The porous tip was prepared and studied to demonstrate a fragile specimen for which such finite element studies could determine potential mechanical failure, prior to any exhaustive atom probe investigation.     

Structure of enamel surface as demonstrated by absorbed electrons.

The current induced by absorbed electrons in electron microprobe analysis was utilized to illustrate the surface structure of dental enamel. The electron images depicted a typical arcade or key-hole pattern on the surface of human incisors, while the surface of rat incisors was characterized by polygonal structures. Differences in electron density of the two specimen materials were observed, probably due to differences in their chemical composition. Absorbed electron images appear to be a valuable supplement to light microscopy, especially in the study of curved surfaces.     

Comparison between experimental and computer simulations of current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of dielectric-coated photon-stimulated field emitters.

For the purpose of simulating photon-stimulated field emission by taking account of three-dimensional aspects, a transfer-matrix formulation of electronic scattering was combined with a Floquet expansion of the wave function for taking account of quanta exchanges between the electrons and the external radiation. With specific techniques to preserve numerical stability, this transfer-matrix formalism is well suited to compute the transmission of the field-emitted/photon-stimulated electrons between two electrodes. This theory is applied to the computation of Fowler-Nordheim curves describing the photon-stimulated field emission of a tungsten plane emitter (described by z< or =0), which supports a nanometric protrusion and a dielectric coating. The extraction bias ranges from 12 to 24V, for an inter-electrode distance of 4nm. The electromagnetic radiation has a wavelength of 0.67 microm and a power flux density ranging from 5.96 x 10(10) to 5.96 x 10(12) W/m2. The effects due to the protrusion and the dielectric coating are studied. These theoretical results are compared with the experimental data.     

The shape of field emitters and the ion trajectories in three-dimensional atom probes

The lateral resolution of three-dimensional atom probes is mainly controlled by the aberrations of the ion trajectories near the specimen surface. For the first time, a simulation program has been developed to reconstruct the ion trajectories near a sharp hemispherical electrode defined at the atomic scale. Surface atoms submitted to the highest field were removed one by one. The consecutive gradual change of the surface topology was taken into account in the calculation of ion trajectories. As the tip was 'field evaporated', the initial spherical shape of the emitter was observed to transform gradually into a polygonal shape. When the tip reached its equilibrium shape, the field distribution at the tip surface was found to be much more uniform compared to the initial distribution. The calculated distribution of ion impacts on the detector exhibits the presence of depleted zones both at the centre of low index poles and along <001> zone axes. These predictions are in excellent agreement with experiments.     

Microscopy and computational modelling to elucidate the enhancement factor for field electron emitters

We report on the computation of the electric field at the surface of single-tip field emitters for a variety of geometries and wide range of geometrical parameters. In conjunction with experimental work, this has allowed the determination of quantities useful for characterizing and comparing the performance of field emitters. The ratio of the field at the tip surface to field at a tip supporting base (enhancement factor) has been calculated for hemispherical tips with parallel or conical shanks, for ratios of tip length to tip radius from 1 to 3000. Enhancement factors greater than 1000 are achievable with suitable tip geometry. The threshold voltage dependence on the tip–anode separation for cylindrical tips facing a flat anode has also been calculated and reported.     

Scanning tunnelling microscopy and spectroscopy on Cu(111) and Au(111)

We have studied Cu(111) and Au(111) by means of scanning tunnelling microscopy and spectroscopy. The constant current topographies showed flat parts as well as regions with a high density of monoatomic steps (in particular on Au(111)). Local I/U characteristics have been determined at a fixed sample-tip distance in the range of ?10 V≤U≤10 V. They show a linear behaviour near the Fermi level and a nearly exponential dependency for larger values of U. Neither an influence of the sp-like surface states or an onset due to d electron contributions of the sample could be observed.     

Energy distributions of field emitted electrons from a multi-wall carbon nanotube

Field emission energy distributions of electrons from one of the six pentagons located at the end of a multi-wall carbon nanotube have been measured by means of a high-resolution cylindrical energy analyzer. In a clean pentagon, the sub-peak was obtained at about 500 meV below the main peak, exhibiting a shift with increasing applied voltage. For electrons emitted from an adsorbate onto the pentagon, no fine structure was observed in the spectra. The broadening of the leading edge was also observed for both clean and adsorbed pentagon, indicating the field penetration into the nanotube due to its semimetallic nature. The full-width at half-maximum was 280 meV at the applied voltage of 660 V and increased linearly with applied voltage.     

A tribological study of kinetically influenced ultrathin Au and Cu metal overlayers grown on dendrimer mediated Si

Evidence is presented here for deposition kinetic energy influences on the wear properties of Au and Cu films deposited by evaporation and sputtering on clean and poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimer modified SiO _x substrates. Ramped load nanoscratch tests show increased resistance to wear in the presence of the dendrimer monolayer. Nanoscratch profiles indicate that the critical load to failure (scratch bearing capacity) is increased in the presence of a dendrimer interlayer. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis of the wear tracks show that following film failure plowing is the predominant mechanism of wear for sputtered or evaporatively deposited Au. No obvious changes in the wear properties (a pure cutting mechanism) of Cu thin films are observed upon changing the kinetic energy of the incoming metal.     

Distinction of heterogeneity on Au nanostructured surface based on phase contrast imaging of atomic force microscopy

The discrimination of the heterogeneity of different materials on nanostructured surfaces has attracted a great deal of interest in biotechnology as well as nanotechnology. Phase imaging through tapping mode of atomic force microscopy (TMAFM) can be used to distinguish the heterogeneity on a nanostructured surface. Nanostructures were fabricated using anodic aluminum oxide (AAO). An 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (11-MUA) layer adsorbed onto the Au nanodots through self-assembly to improve the bio-compatibility. The Au nanostructures that were modified with 11-MUA and the concave surfaces were investigated using the TMAFM phase images to compare the heterogeneous and homogeneous nanostructured surfaces. Although the topography and phase images were taken simultaneously, the images were different. Therefore, the contrast in the TMAFM phase images revealed the different compositional materials on the heterogeneous nanostructure surface.     

Dynamics of surface reactions studied by field emission microscopy and atom-probe mass spectrometry.

Recent progress in imaging surface chemical reactions and adsorbate-induced reconstruction by means of field ion microscopy is reviewed. Achievements and prospects of a local chemical analysis during imaging are also presented and discussed. Major shape transformation is reported to occur during the field-free interaction of oxygen with Rh crystal tips. Rather than hemispherical when clean they appear polyhedral after reaction at temperatures between 500 and 550 K. Kinetic non-linearities are found in both the NO and NO2 reaction with hydrogen on the surface of a pyramidal Pt crystal tip. Oscillatory reaction behavior is observed for both reactions. In the NO2-H2 case explosive ignition in [0 1 2] planes is followed by one-dimensional chemical wave propagation along the <1 0 0> zone lines. Atom-probe time-of-flight mass spectrometry demonstrates that water (field ionized as H2O+ and H3O+) is the product of the catalytic reaction. During the NO/H2 reaction, dynamic formation and motion of small islands are observed. These islands appear on the (0 0 1) pole and are interpreted as being due to adsorbed hydroxyl species. Island sizes are confined to the equivalent of 10-30 Pt atoms.     

滚动接触载荷作用下的铁轨表面裂纹开合状态分析

通过计算不同接触载荷以及轮轨表面摩擦系数条件下裂纹面的接触面积和接触应力,对裂纹面的开合状态进行分析,并且对相应状态下液体渗入裂纹的可能性做出判断,由此总结了滚动接触载荷作用下,液体环境存在对铁轨表面疲劳裂纹扩展机理的影响.     

静磁场对固液界面表面电荷性质的影响

考虑磁场对固液界面表面电荷性质的影响与微纳流体系统的流体阻力相关,本文采用原子力显微镜(AFM)研究了静磁场对去离子水黏度以及高硼硅玻璃-去离子水界面表面电荷性质的影响,并分析了静磁场对去离子水性质影响的机理。研究结果表明,将去离子水静置于磁场强度为0~0.6T的静磁场下30min时,去离子水的黏度随磁场强度的增加而减小,而高硼硅玻璃-磁化水界面的表面电荷密度随磁场强度的增加而增加;静磁场对去离子水性质影响的机理是磁场引起的去离子水内氢键以及氢氧键的断裂。研究结果同时表明,磁场可以有效地改变固液界面的表面电荷性质。本文的研究结果为利用磁场有效地控制微纳流体系统的流体阻力提供了可能。     

Effect of surface contamination on the UHV tribological behavior of the Cu(111)/Cu(111) interface

Friction and adhesion measurements have been made using two Cu(1 11) samples modified by the presence of atomic adsorbates. Copper surfaces with 10–15 Å thick contaminant films resulting from exposure to the atmosphere exhibited a static friction coefficient of _s = 0.75 ± 0.18. A sharp increase in the friction coefficient was observed when the contaminant layer was reduced to submonolayer thickness by sputtering and for the cleanest Cu(111) surfaces studied the static friction coefficient was _s = 4.4 ± 1.3. To further investigate the tribological effect of submonolayer coverages of surface contamination adhesion experiments were performed using surfaces modified with sulfur adsorbed at coverages in the range _s = 0.0–0.39 ML (saturation). The adhesion coefficient of the clean surfaces (_ad = 0.69 ± 0.20) was markedly reduced by the presence of 0.05 ML of sulfur and decreased monotonically with increasing sulfur coverage to a limiting value of _ad = 0.26 ± 0.07 at _s = 0.39.     

表面状态对X80管线钢腐蚀行为的影响

采用线性极化测试、电化学阻抗谱和动电位极化等电化学测试技术并结合表面分析方法,研究了表面状态对X80管线钢在模拟土壤溶液(NS4)中的腐蚀行为影响。试验结果表明,随着表面粗糙度下降,其自然腐蚀电位向正向移动,腐蚀电流密度下降,即腐蚀速率减小;不同粗糙度的X80钢试样在NS4溶液中电化学阻抗谱表现为一个时间常数;随表面粗糙度的逐渐减小,电荷转移、电阻逐渐增大。微观形貌显示,试样表面腐蚀产物随着粗糙度的减小而逐渐减少。试样表面效应是引起不同粗糙度钢腐蚀差异的重要因素。     

电磁场作用下的铸铁表面重熔强化

这里以铸铁ＴＨ２００为目标,通过一系列试验,研究了在铸铁钨极氩弧局部重熔强化过程中,外加磁场对重熔层硬度及耐磨性的影响。试验结果表明：磁场对铸铁局部重熔强化具有显著的作用。