A lateral on-chip electron-impact ion source utilizing a carbon nanotube field emission electron source was fabricated and characterized. The device consists of a cathode with aligned carbon nanotubes, a control grid, and an ion collector electrode. The electron-impact ionization of He, Ar, and Xe was studied as a function of field emission current and pressure. The ion current was linear with respect to gas pressure from 10−4to10−1Torr⁠. The device can operate as a vacuum ion gauge with a sensitivity of approximately 1Torr−1⁠. Ion currents in excess of 1μA were generated.

Topics
MEMS technology, Field emitter arrays, Measuring instruments, Electrical grid, Mass spectrometry, Cold cathodes, Electron impact ionization, Nanotubes, Electron sources, Ion source
1.
E.
 
de Hoffman
 and
V.
 
Stroobant
,
Mass Spectrometry Principles and Applications
(
Wiley
,
London
,
2002
), pp.
11
–
13
.
Google Scholar
 
2.
J. F.
 
O’Hanlon
,
A User’s Guide to Vacuum Technology
(
Wiley
,
New York
,
1989
), pp.
89
–
94
, and
123
.
Google Scholar
 
3.
E. R.
 
Badman
 and
G. R.
 
Cooks
,
J. Mass Spectrom.
https://doi.org/10.1002/1096-9888(200006)35:6<659::AID-JMS5>3.0.CO;2-V
 
35
,
659
(
2000
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
PubMed
 
4.
O.
 
Kornienko
,
P. T. A.
 
Reilly
,
W. B.
 
Whitten
, and
J. M.
 
Ramsey
,
Anal. Chem.
 
72
,
559
(
2000
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
PubMed
 
5.
C.
 
Dong
 and
G. R.
 
Myneni
,
Appl. Phys. Lett.
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1767956
 
84
,
5443
(
2004
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
6.
I.-M.
 
Choi
 and
S.-Y.
 
Woo
,
Appl. Phys. Lett.
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2112184
 
87
,
173104
(
2005
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
7.
C.
 
Dong
 and
G. R.
 
Myneni
,
J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A
https://doi.org/10.1116/1.581722
 
17
,
2026
(
1999
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
8.
B. R.
 
Chalamala
,
R. H.
 
Reuss
, and
K. A.
 
Dean
,
Appl. Phys. Lett.
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1412280
 
79
,
2648
(
2001
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
9.
K. A.
 
Dean
 and
B. R.
 
Chalamala
,
Appl. Phys. Lett.
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.125219
 
75
,
3017
(
1999
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
10.
C.
 
Bower
,
W.
 
Zhu
,
D.
 
Shalom
,
D.
 
Lopez
,
L. H.
 
Chen
,
P. L.
 
Gammel
, and
S.
 
Jin
,
Appl. Phys. Lett.
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1480884
 
80
,
3820
(
2002
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
11.
C.
 
Bower
,
D.
 
Shalom
,
W.
 
Zhu
,
D.
 
Lopez
,
G. P.
 
Kochanski
,
P. L.
 
Gammel
, and
S.
 
Jin
,
IEEE Trans. Electron Devices
https://doi.org/10.1109/TED.2002.801247
 
49
,
1478
(
2002
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
12.
L. J.
 
Kieffer
 and
G. H.
 
Dunn
,
Rev. Mod. Phys.
https://doi.org/10.1103/RevModPhys.38.1
 
38
,
1
(
1966
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
13.
J.
 
Carter
,
A.
 
Cowen
,
B.
 
Hardy
,
R.
 
Mahadevan
,
M.
 
Stonefield
, and
S.
 
Wilcenski
, The PolyMUMPS Design Handbook, MEMSCAP Inc., Durham, NC,
2005
(available at http://www.memscap.com/mumps/documents/PolyMUMPs.DR.v11.pdf).
14.
H.
 
Cui
,
O.
 
Zhou
, and
B. R.
 
Stoner
,
J. Appl. Phys.
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1320024
 
88
,
6072
(
2000
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
15.
C.
 
Bower
,
O.
 
Zhou
,
W.
 
Zhu
,
D. J.
 
Werder
, and
S.
 
Jin
,
Appl. Phys. Lett.
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1319529
 
77
,
2767
(
2000
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
16.
G. J.
 
Schulz
 and
A. V.
 
Phelps
,
Rev. Sci. Instrum.
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1715800
 
28
,
1051
(
1957
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
17.
J.-M.
 
Bonard
,
H.
 
Kind
,
T.
 
Stockli
, and
L.-O.
 
Nilsson
,
Solid-State Electron.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0038-1101(00)00213-6
 
45
,
893
(
2001
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
© 2007 American Institute of Physics.
2007
American Institute of Physics
You do not currently have access to this content.