Abstract
High-brightness electron gun technologies for high resolution electron microscopes are reviewed. High performance electron beam apparatuses today are equipped with either Schottky emission or field emission type cathodes, both of which have sharply etched tips for electric field enhancement that promotes electron emission. One of the key elements in these pointed cathodes is a proper control of the tip geometry. It substantially affects the emitter optics and performance. It is shown that the geometry is dictated by the faceting of the tip, which is in turn determined by the Equilibrium Crystal Shape (ECS). The ECS is the tip geometry that minimizes the surface free energy and dependent on the emitter operation environment. By proper choice of the tip field and temperature, one can control the degree of faceting and achieve optically desirable tip geometries.
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