Abstract: A piezoelectrically driven metallic nanoprobe is installed inside a scanning electron microscope in order to perform local characterization of the field emission properties of InSb nanopillars. The tip-shaped anode can be precisely positioned at sub-micron distances from the emitters, to collect electrons from areas as small as 1um2 under the application of external bias up to 100 V. Current-voltage characteristics are measured for cathode-anode separation down to 500 nm and are analyzed in the framework of the Fowler-Nordheim theory. We give estimation of performance parameters such as the field enhancement factor and the turn-on field and their dependence on the cathode-anode separation distance. We demonstrate the time stability of the emitted current for several minutes. Finally, we perform a finite element electrostatic simulation to calculate the electric field in proximity of the nanopillars and we evaluate the effective emitting area as well as the screening effect due to presence of other pillars in close vicinity. In conclusion, we show that InSb nanopillars are very stable emitters, that allow current density as high as 104 A/cm2 and excellent time stability, crucial characteristics to envisage device exploitation.

Keywords: Indium antimonide, semiconducting nanopillars, field emission, field enhancement factors, turn-on field, electric field simulations

Biography: Filippo Giubileo currently works as Researcher at the Institute for Superconductors, Innovative Materials and Devices (SPIN) of the Italian National Research Council (CNR), since 2004. He has the National Scientific Qualification as Full Professor in Experimental Condensed Matter Physics. He has been member of the scientific evaluation panel for the Flag-Era Joint Transnational call on graphene basic research. His research activity deals with electrical properties of 1D and 2D materials and their application as field effect transistors, photodetectors, chemical sensors, field emitters. His expertise includes advanced surface analysis on nanometer scale by scanning probe microscopy/spectroscopy in high magnetic field and variable temperatures, fabrication and characterization of superconducting heterostructures, pairing symmetry and electronic properties in superconductors. He has published more than 100 papers in peer-reviewed journals. He was Chair-Organiser for 6 international conferences (ISMN08, SM-2010, S4E-2014, GM-2016, TTN-2018, NANO M&D-2019). He serves as member of editorial board for several international journals (Nanomaterials, Nano Express, Journal of Nanomaterials, Chemosensors).