Abstract
We have observed field emission with an energy distribution of 68meV full width at half maximum (FWHM) from a thermally cleaned Mo⟨110⟩ single tip. The emission spectra are taken with the emitting surface at 295K, using a double-pass cylindrical mirror analyzer in ultrahigh vacuum. This narrow energy distribution is attributed to a nanotip spontaneously formed on the ∼75nm radius Mo tip from in situ buildup by field-induced surface diffusion. Auger electron spectroscopy showed that residual surface Ca segregated from the bulk during thermal cleaning and is likely the source of mobile atoms that formed the nanotip. The emission spectra show a discernible doublet that is attributed to a variation in the localized density of states of the nanotip. Sub-Langmuir oxygen exposure of the Mo tip immediately increased the energy distribution to a FWHM of >1eV.
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