Cold Field Emission Technology

Cold Field Emission Technology
FE, or Field emission, refers to a phenomenon where high-density electrons are emitted when a strong
electric field is applied to a cathode (electron emission element) with a sharpened tip.
How Do You Make an Electron Beam?
Sources of electrons: -Nothing is more essential to the electron microscope than the electron beam, but all
electron sources are not made alike. Understanding their basic function, as well as their respective benefits
and drawbacks, is critical for choosing the ideal instrument for your experiments. There are several
commonly used sources, broadly divided into thermionic (tungsten filament, CeB6, LaB6) and field
emission (tungsten tip – Schottky and cold FEGs):
Illustration comparing the various electron emission sources. For thermionic sources the Wehnelt cylinder focuses the
electrons as they flow toward the anode. In a field emission source, the first anode accelerates the electrons whereas the
second anode focuses them.
Thermionic sources rely on heat to generate electrons, similar to how light is produced by incandescent
lightbulbs. As a current is applied to the filament (or crystal), it is progressively heated until its electrons
have enough energy to escape the solid surface. However, unlike a lightbulb, the electrons must all flow in
one direction to produce the beam, which is why an anode is placed nearby to attract the electrons and pass
them on toward the column. (Note: here the electron source acts as the cathode, and it’s the voltage
difference between the anode and cathode that accelerates the electrons forward.)
Tungsten filament: Tungsten filaments are comparatively cheap and easy to maintain; users can be taught
to replace them, removing the need for ongoing external maintenance. Just like lightbulb filaments,
however, they gradually lose mass to evaporation and eventually break, giving them the shortest lifetime of
all the sources. Additionally, due to their high operating temperature, they have a lower brightness and a
broader beam spread, resulting in generally reduced image quality (i.e. reduced image resolution).
LaB6 and CeB6: Lanthanum hexaboride and cerium hexaboride sources are composed of a single crystal of
the respective molecule. Just like a tungsten filament, these crystals are heated by an applied current until
there is enough energy to emit electrons. Compared to tungsten, lower temperatures are required to emit
electrons, resulting in lower beam spread and higher brightness. They are also less volatile than tungsten
and therefore have a significantly longer lifetime. However, they also need higher vacuum, thereby
increasing the overall cost of the source.
Field emission sources (also called field emission guns or FEGs) use a strong electrostatic field to induce
electron emission. This field is applied to the sharp tip of a tungsten wire, where quantum mechanical
tunneling allows high-energy electrons to be released. The emission area is substantially smaller for an FEG
(nanometers) than a thermionic source (micrometers), resulting in superior brightness and, in turn, enhanced
image quality (i.e. higher spatial resolution and increased signal to noise). FEG sources also have the highest
longevity, often lasting over a year without replacement. The primary downside of FEG sources is cost; the
use of an electrostatic fields means that ultra-high vacuum is required, making it more expensive than most
thermionic sources. Despite this, the increased resolution, brightness and lifetime of these sources makes
them ideal for the widest range of applications.
Schottky FEG vs. cold FEG (CFEG): FEG sources can broadly be divided into Schottky or cold FEGs.
As the names might imply, Schottky FEGs are thermally assisted, combining the benefits of thermionic and
field emission sources. This is done by coating the tungsten tip in zirconium oxide, which facilitates the
thermal emission of electrons when the source is heated. Note that although Schottky sources have a shorter
lifetime than CFEGs and worse image quality under certain conditions (i.e. lower voltages, where the
Schottky emitter has a larger energy spread), they generally have better stability.

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