Electrical characterization of porous silicon field emitter arrays

We studied the electrical characteristics of porous silicon field emitter arrays (PSFEAs). The surface of silicon field emitters have been modified by electrochemical etching with HF:ethanol solution. Porous silicon consists of a high density of submicroscopic fibrils which serve as increased emission sites per tip, hence significantly improving the emission characteristics. PSFEAs exhibited low turn-on voltage and larger emission current with less current fluctuation and good reproducibility.