BackgroundE-Beam On-a-Chip™ development began in El-Mul’s research laboratory in 1999, and has been accompanied by ongoing innovations and nanoscale achievements. Our core technology is proprietary and fully protected by patents. El-Mul’s current R&D is primarily focused on product adaptation and commercialization.
DescriptionOur technology exploits the outstanding field emission (FE) characteristics of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to produce industrial quality electron beam sources. Our process employs a stack of silicon, silicon oxide and conductive poly silicon layers. A cathode well is etched through the poly and oxide layers to the silicon substrate, using conventional semiconductor processing techniques, resulting in formation of a capacitor-like gating structure.
This structure is further processed to place either single or multiple CNTs in each well, depending on intended device specifications. The resulting proprietary, patented FE device:
- Exhibits high brightness and narrow energy spread, with ability to control these characteristics during manufacture
- Eliminates the need for high voltage (kV) levels, requiring energy of only tens of volts per emitter
- Requires less stringent vacuum conditions than with conventional E-beam sources
- Reduces ion-emitter interference
- Performs ideally as SEM/TEM E-beam sources
- Is fully scalable to create dense E-beam arrays for use in high throughput tools and processes
Current CapabilitiesOur current generation E-Beam On-a-Chip™ technology can produce devices for well-characterized fine beam or for high current broad beam applications. The current product series is designated for OEM use only.
Contact us for product specifications and performance details.
Future CapabilitiesWe are developing E-Beam On-a-Chip™ technology as the keystone for generic MEMS-based system-on-chip packages that can be customized directly by a customer to meet the specific needs of their application.
Related Links
Recent News
Article: 'E-Beam On-a-Chip Technology for Next Generation Semiconductor Manufacturing Processes' (Technical Insights, Frost & Sullivan; May 2008 - Requires Sign-In)
Feature: 'In the Nanotech Jungle, a Tiger Awaits' (Nanotech Advantage Israel, August 2004)
Article: 'Carbon nanotube-based electron gun for electron microscopy' (Jrnl of Vac Sci & Tech A; Vol. 19, Issue 4, Jul/Aug 2001, pp 1790-1795)