Nanogap fabrication on palladium electrodes for field emission display applications

Abstract

We have used focused ion beam (FIB) to produce nanogaps on palladium thin film line electrodes. The two facing cross-sections of the as-prepared nanogap were smooth and exhibited a large turn-on voltage for electron field emission depending on the separation of the gap. Hydrogen plasma treatment was used to increase the edge roughness of the nanogap, and thereby dramatically improve the field emission characteristics. For a gap with a separation of 90 nm, the turn-on voltage reduced to 50 V from 175 V after the hydrogen plasma treatment.