Method of making low work function component
A method for fabricating a component is disclosed. The method includes: providing a member having an effective work function of an initial value, disposing a sacrificial layer on a surface of the member, disposing a first agent within the member to obtain a predetermined concentration of the agent at said surface of the member, annealing the member, and removing the sacrificial layer to expose said surface of the member, wherein said surface has a post-process effective work function that is different from the initial value.
1. A method comprising:
providing a member having an effective work function of an initial value;
disposing a sacrificial layer on a surface of the member;
disposing a first agent through the sacrificial layer and within the member to obtain a predetermined concentration of the agent at said surface of the member, wherein the first agent is disposed using an ion implantation technique;
subsequent to said disposing a first agent through the sacrificial layer, annealing the member; and
subsequent to said annealing the member, removing the sacrificial layer to expose said surface of the member, wherein said surface has a post-process effective work function that is different from the initial value.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said disposing a sacrificial layer includes disposing a sacrificial layer comprising a material selected from the group consisting of oxides, nitrides, carbides and polymers.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sacrificial layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, polysilicon, and photoresists.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said disposing a sacrificial layer includes disposing a sacrificial layer that has a thickness within the range from about 10 nm to about 500 nm.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said disposing a sacrificial layer includes disposing a sacrificial layer that has a thickness within the range from about 500 nm to about 1000 nm.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said disposing a sacrificial layer includes disposing a sacrificial layer that has a thickness within the range from about 1000 nm to about 5000 nm.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first agent is disposed within the member so that a concentration of the first agent at said surface is about 90%.
8. The component formed by the method of claim 1 , wherein the component is a Solid State Refrigerator, a MEMS switch, a solid state power generation device, or an electron emission device.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein a post-process effective work function is less than about 2 eV.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein a post-process effective work function is less than the initial value.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said providing a member includes providing a member comprising a semiconductor, a metal, an insulator, or combinations thereof.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said providing a member includes providing a member comprising a semiconductor comprising a material selected from the group consisting of silicon, germanium, gallium nitride, silicon carbide, gallium arsenide, and indium nitride.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein said providing a member includes providing a member comprising a metal comprising a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, silver, and gold.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein said providing a member includes providing a member comprising an insulator comprising a material selected from the group consisting of glass, quartz, and sapphire.
15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming of dipoles within the member.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the said forming of dipoles is achieved via an oxygen treatment of the member, wherein the oxygen treatment results in a diffusion of oxygen into the member.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein said providing a member includes providing an electrode.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein said disposing a first agent within the member includes disposing a first agent comprising a material selected from the group consisting of carbon, tungsten, tungsten carbide, cesium, sodium, potassium, strontium, and rubidium.
19. The method of claim 1 , further comprising disposing a second agent at said surface.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the second agent is disposed via diffusion.
21. The method of claim 19 , wherein said disposing a second agent at said surface include disposing a second agent so as to combine the second agent with the first agent.
22. The method of claim 19 , wherein the annealing results in a combination of the first agent and the second agent to form another agent.
23. A method comprising:
providing a member having an effective work function of an initial value;
disposing a sacrificial layer on a surface of the member;
disposing a first agent through the sacrificial layer and within the member to obtain a predetermined concentration of the agent at said surface of the member, wherein the first agent is disposed using an ion implantation technique;
annealing the member; and
removing the sacrificial layer to expose said surface of the member, wherein said surface has a post-process effective work function that is different from the initial value and less than about 2 eV.