Three-electrode structure and silicon micron column distribution optimization method

Abstract

The invention discloses a three-electrode structure which comprises a collector, an extraction electrode, a cathode and a silicon micron column, the invention further discloses a distribution optimization method of the silicon micron column array, and the current collected by the collector is increased. By adopting a novel three-electrode structure, the sensitivity, the stability and the anti-interference capability of the electric field sensor can be effectively improved. The silicon micron column can better adapt to electric field measurement in a complex environment, the influence of external noise is reduced, and the stability and accuracy of data are ensured. In addition, the uniform distribution and optimization method of the silicon micron columns can further improve the current collection efficiency, optimize the performance of the electrode, and adapt to the requirements of different application scenes. The sensitivity and the stability of the electric field sensor are remarkably improved, the anti-interference capability is excellent, the requirement for electric field measurement tasks with higher requirements can be met, and the wide application prospect is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of sensor technology, in particular to a three-electrode structure and a distribution optimization method of silicon micron column arrays. Background Art

[0002] Traditional electric field sensors usually use a flat electrode structure. Although this structure can provide a certain degree of electric field sensitivity, it often cannot achieve high sensitivity in small-size applications. It also performs poorly in strong electric field interference or complex environments and is easily affected by external noise, resulting in unstable measurement results. In addition, flat electrodes usually have a small surface area and a low volume ratio, which makes them perform poorly in applications with high sensitivity requirements.

[0003] Therefore, the present invention proposes a three-electrode structure and a distribution optimization method of silicon micron column array. In the present invention, the structural design of the electrode fully considers the electric field collection efficiency and anti-interference ability. After optimization, by setting a silicon micron structure on the cathode surface, the sensitivity and stability of the electrode can be significantly improved. The vertical growth structure of the silicon micron column not only increases the surface area to volume ratio of the electrode, but also makes the cathode have a stronger anti-interference ability, which can ensure the accuracy and stability of the measurement data when facing complex environments and strong interference sources.

[0004] Compared with the traditional flat electrode structure, this three-electrode structure can effectively collect and transmit tiny electric field changes, has higher signal response capability and measurement accuracy, and performs better in the detection of tiny electric field changes. Therefore, this invention has broad application prospects in the field of electric field sensing, especially in high-end applications requiring high sensitivity and high stability, and has significant advantages. Summary of the invention

[0005] In view of the above problems existing in the prior art, the present invention is proposed.

[0006] Therefore, the problem to be solved by the present invention is how to avoid the insufficiency of stability and anti-interference ability of the electrode structure.

[0007] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides the following technical solutions: a three-electrode structure, which includes a collecting electrode, an extraction electrode and a cathode.

[0008] As a preferred solution of the three-electrode structure of the present invention, an insulating layer is provided between the collecting electrode and the lead-out electrode, and between the lead-out electrode and the cathode.

[0009] As a preferred solution of the three-electrode structure of the present invention, the three electrodes further include silicon micro-columns, and the silicon micro-columns are arranged between the three electrodes.

[0010] As a preferred solution of the three-electrode structure of the present invention, wherein: the cathode is provided with an air hole, and the air hole passes through the surface of the cathode facing the lead-out electrode.

[0011] As a preferred solution of the three-electrode structure of the present invention, the silicon micro-columns are evenly arranged on the surface of the cathode facing the lead-out electrode, and the silicon micro-columns and the air holes are staggered.

[0012] As a preferred solution of the three-electrode structure of the present invention, the silicon micron column has a height of micron and a diameter of micron, and adjacent silicon micron columns are arranged at equal intervals of microns to form a square array.

[0013] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention also provides the following technical solutions: a distribution optimization method for silicon micron column arrays, which includes three electrodes and silicon micron columns, and also includes changing the distribution of the silicon micron columns, and measuring the current collected by the collector under each distribution, and taking the distribution of the silicon micron columns when the current collected by the collector is the largest as the preferred one.

[0014] As a preferred solution of the distribution optimization method of the silicon micro-column array of the present invention, the silicon micro-columns are evenly arranged on the surface of the cathode facing the lead-out electrode. When the silicon micro-columns are evenly arranged on the surface of the cathode facing the lead-out electrode, the current collected by the collector is measured.

[0015] As a preferred solution of the method for optimizing the distribution of silicon micro-columns of the present invention, the silicon micro-columns are evenly arranged on the surface facing the cathode and the lead-out electrode. When the silicon micro-columns are evenly arranged on the surface facing the cathode and the lead-out electrode, the current collected by the collector is measured.

[0016] As a preferred solution of the distribution optimization method of the silicon micro-column array of the present invention, the silicon micro-columns are evenly arranged on the surface facing the cathode and the lead-out electrode, and are also arranged on the surface of the collector facing the lead-out electrode. When the silicon micro-columns are evenly arranged on the surface facing the cathode and the lead-out electrode, and are also arranged on the surface of the collector facing the lead-out electrode, the current collected by the collector is measured.

[0017] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: by adopting a novel three-electrode structure, the sensitivity, stability and anti-interference ability of the electric field sensor can be effectively improved. Silicon micro-columns can better adapt to electric field measurements in complex environments, reduce the impact of external noise, and ensure the stability and accuracy of the data. In addition, the uniform distribution and optimization method of silicon micro-columns can further improve the current collection efficiency, optimize the performance of the electrode, and adapt to the needs of different application scenarios. The present invention not only has a significant improvement in the sensitivity and stability of the electric field sensor, but also performs well in anti-interference ability, can meet more demanding electric field measurement tasks, and has broad application prospects. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for describing the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work. Among them:

[0019] Figure 1 It is a front view of the three-electrode structure.

[0020] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the three-electrode structure.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a distribution diagram of the distribution optimization method of silicon micron column array.

[0022] Figure 4 b is the distribution pattern diagram in the distribution optimization method of silicon micro-column array.

[0023] Figure 5 This is the c distribution diagram in the distribution optimization method of silicon micro-column array. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, the specific implementation methods of the present invention are described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0025] In the following description, many specific details are set forth to facilitate a full understanding of the present invention, but the present invention may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art may make similar generalizations without violating the connotation of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0026] Secondly, the term "one embodiment" or "embodiment" as used herein refers to a specific feature, structure, or characteristic that may be included in at least one implementation of the present invention. The term "in one embodiment" that appears in different places in this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or selective embodiment that is mutually exclusive with other embodiments.

[0027] Example 1, reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 , which is the first embodiment of the present invention, provides a three-electrode structure, which includes a collecting electrode 101, an extraction electrode 102 and a cathode 103.

[0028] The collector 101, the lead-out electrode 102 and the cathode 103 are all formed by etching a single crystal silicon wafer. The three electrodes are arranged in layers, and the lead-out electrode 102 is located between the collector 101 and the cathode 103. An insulating layer 200 is provided between the two electrodes.

[0029] The front and back sides of the lead-out electrode 102, as well as the inner surfaces of the collecting electrode 101 and the cathode 103 are all sputter-plated with a titanium-nickel-gold film. The film is composed of 125 nanometers of gold, 400 nanometers of nickel and 50 nanometers of titanium from the outside to the inside. Since gold has good electrical conductivity and stable chemical properties, it is placed on the outermost side to enhance the conductivity of the electrode and isolate the sensor from corrosion by external gases or harsh environments. The innermost titanium layer mainly serves to bond the gold layer to the electrode. The middle nickel layer can effectively prevent the mutual penetration between the gold layer and the titanium layer.

[0030] The insulating layer 200 is made of polyester film or other materials having good electrical insulation performance, heat resistance and chemical resistance.

[0031] The main function of the collector 101 is to collect charged particles such as electrons and ions caused by the electric field. These charged particles are generated by field-induced electron emission and move to the collector 101 under the action of the electric field. The magnitude of the current received by the collector 101 is directly related to the strength of the electric field and the shape and structure of the collector 101. The collector 101 is provided with grooves to increase the magnitude of the collected current.

[0032] The extraction electrode 102 is located between the collector 101 and the cathode 103. Its main function is to guide the charged particles excited in the electric field from the cathode 103 to the collector 101. By forming an appropriate electric field, it helps to ensure that the electrons or ions emitted from the cathode 103 can move smoothly to the collector 101. The design of the extraction electrode 102 affects the mobility of the charge and the working efficiency of the sensor. A total of 12 extraction holes with a diameter of 1.2 mm are arranged in 3 rows and 4 columns on the extraction electrode 102. The extraction holes are used to facilitate the charged particles generated by the gas discharge between the cathode 103 and the extraction electrode 102 to pass through the extraction electrode 102 smoothly to reach the collector 101, increase the output current of the sensor, and improve the sensitivity.

[0033] The cathode is responsible for generating electrons or ions through the field-induced electron emission process under the action of the electric field. The cathode is provided with 9 air holes with a diameter of 1.2 mm in 3 rows and 3 columns, which helps to stabilize the electric field and facilitate the diffusion of gas, which can reduce the loss of charged particles during the transmission process, and can also conveniently carry away the heat generated by the device when the gas circulates, thereby increasing the service life of the device.

[0034] The three-electrode structure also includes silicon micro-pillars 104. These silicon micro-pillars can enhance the electric field effect and improve the efficiency of electron emission. When the electric field strength is large, the electric field at the tip of the silicon micro-pillar will trigger the emission of electrons, thereby generating charged ions, which are eventually guided to the collector.

[0035] When in use, the three-electrode structure works together to enhance the sensitivity and accuracy of electric field sensing: the cathode 103 is responsible for generating electrons or ions, the silicon microcolumn 104 improves the efficiency of electron emission by enhancing the electric field effect, the extraction electrode 102 is responsible for guiding these charged particles, and the collecting electrode 101 collects these charged particles and converts them into electrical signals for subsequent measurement of the electric field strength.

[0036] Example 2, reference Figure 1 to Figure 5 , which is the second embodiment of the present invention,

[0037] This embodiment provides a three-electrode structure, which includes a collecting electrode 101 , an extracting electrode 102 and a cathode 103 .

[0038] The collector 101, the lead-out electrode 102 and the cathode 103 are all formed by etching a single crystal silicon wafer. The three electrodes are arranged in layers, and the lead-out electrode 102 is located between the collector 101 and the cathode 103. An insulating layer 200 is provided between the two electrodes.

[0039] The front and back sides of the lead-out electrode 102, as well as the inner surfaces of the collecting electrode 101 and the cathode 103 are all sputter-plated with a titanium-nickel-gold film. The film is composed of 125 nanometers of gold, 400 nanometers of nickel and 50 nanometers of titanium from the outside to the inside. Since gold has good electrical conductivity and stable chemical properties, it is placed on the outermost side to enhance the conductivity of the electrode and isolate the sensor from corrosion by external gases or harsh environments. The innermost titanium layer mainly serves to bond the gold layer to the electrode. The middle nickel layer can effectively prevent the mutual penetration between the gold layer and the titanium layer.

[0040] The insulating layer 200 is made of polyester film or other materials having good electrical insulation performance, heat resistance and chemical resistance.

[0041] The main function of the collector 101 is to collect charged particles such as electrons and ions caused by the electric field. These charged particles are generated by field-induced electron emission and move to the collector 101 under the action of the electric field. The magnitude of the current received by the collector 101 is directly related to the strength of the electric field and the shape and structure of the collector 101. The collector 101 is provided with a groove to increase the magnitude of the collected current. The groove is set in the center of the collector 101, with a length of 6 mm, a width of 8 mm, and a depth of 200 microns.

[0042] The extraction electrode 102 is located between the collector 101 and the cathode 103, and its main function is to guide the charged particles excited in the electric field from the cathode 103 to the collector 101. It helps to ensure that the electrons or ions emitted from the cathode 103 can move smoothly to the collector 101 by forming an appropriate electric field.

[0043] A total of 12 lead-out holes with a diameter of 1.2 mm in 3 rows and 4 columns are arranged on the lead-out electrode 102. The lead-out holes are used to facilitate the charged particles generated by the gas discharge between the cathode 103 and the lead-out electrode 102 to smoothly pass through the lead-out electrode 102 to reach the collecting electrode 101, thereby increasing the output current of the sensor and improving the sensitivity.

[0044] The cathode is responsible for generating electrons or ions through the field-induced electron emission process under the action of the electric field. The cathode 103 is provided with air holes, which penetrate the surface of the cathode 103 facing the lead-out electrode 102. The cathode is provided with 9 air holes with a diameter of 1.2 mm in 3 rows and 3 columns, which helps to stabilize the electric field and facilitate the diffusion of gas, thereby reducing the loss of charged particles during the transmission process, and conveniently taking away the heat generated by the device when the gas circulates, thereby increasing the service life of the device.

[0045] The three-electrode structure also includes silicon micro-pillars 104, which are evenly arranged on the surface of the cathode 103 facing the lead-out electrode 102, and the silicon micro-pillars 104 are staggered with the air holes; the silicon micro-pillars 104 are 60 microns in height and 10 microns in diameter, and adjacent silicon micro-pillars 104 are arranged at an equal interval of 20 microns to form a square array. These silicon micro-pillars can enhance the electric field effect and improve the efficiency of electron emission. When the electric field intensity is large, the electric field at the tip of the silicon micro-pillar will trigger the emission of electrons, thereby generating charged ions, which are eventually guided to the collector.

[0046] Example 3, reference Figure 1 to Figure 5 , which is the third embodiment of the present invention, provides a method for optimizing the distribution of silicon micro-pillars. It includes three electrodes 100 and silicon micro-pillars 104, and also includes changing the distribution of silicon micro-pillars 104, and measuring the current collected by the collector 101 under each distribution, and taking the distribution of silicon micro-pillars 104 when the current collected by the collector 101 is the largest as the preferred one.

[0047] The distribution of the silicon micron columns 104 includes the spacing pattern between the silicon micron columns 104, which can be uniformly distributed, concentratedly distributed, etc.; it also includes the position of the silicon micron columns 104. The cathode 103, the lead-out electrode 102 and the collector 101 are all etched from a single crystal silicon wafer. During etching, a position can be selected for the silicon micron columns 104. The etching can be performed on the side of the cathode 103 facing the lead-out electrode 102, the side of the lead-out electrode 102 facing the cathode 103, and the side of the collector 101 facing the lead-out electrode 102.

[0048] Etching silicon micro-pillars 104 on different surfaces will affect the distribution of the electric field, thereby affecting the charge collection efficiency, especially at the opposite side of the extraction electrode 102 and the cathode 103. By arranging silicon micro-pillars on these surfaces, the flow path of the charge can be effectively controlled and the current collection efficiency can be optimized.

[0049] The main source of electron emission on the surface of the cathode 103 is field-induced electron emission caused by the strong electric field at the tip of the silicon micron column 104. Field electron emission relies on an external electric field to reduce the potential barrier on the surface of an object. When the width and height of the surface potential barrier of an object are reduced to a certain extent, a large number of free electrons inside the object will escape from the surface of the object due to the tunnel penetration effect to form an emission current. During field emission, as the strength of the external electric field increases, the surface potential barrier of the object will become lower and lower, and the number of electrons escaping from the surface of the object will increase. These electrons will combine with nitrogen in the air to ionize and generate more charged ions. The number of charged ions obtained by the sensor collector increases, and the output current increases accordingly. In 1928, Fowler and Nordheim derived the approximate formula for field emission, namely the FN formula, through the free electron approximation of quantum theory and the WKB method:

[0050]

[0051] in:

[0052] J is the field electron emission current density unit: A / m 2 .

[0053] E is the unit of applied electric field strength: V / m.

[0054] A and B are constants related to the electronic properties and surface morphology of the material.

[0055] It can be seen that the cathode 103 emission current density is closely related to the external electric field strength and the work function of the cathode material, and the higher the external electric field strength, the smaller the work function of the material, and the greater the electron emission density obtained. In order to obtain a higher electron emission density, the collector 101 current of the sensor is increased, thereby increasing the sensitivity of the sensor, and the material with a small work function is selected as much as possible under the condition that the material process allows. The present invention selects silicon material as the cathode emission material of the sensor.

[0056] According to the current density formula:

[0057] J=j n +j p =nqμ n +pqμ p E

[0058] It can be seen that when the current density is the same in the electric field and the positive ion number density is much greater than the electron density, the positive ion number density is mainly considered. The larger the positive ion number density, the greater the current density. It can be determined that the silicon micro-pillar 104 has the optimal electrode structure. After determining the basic structure of the three electrodes 100, the silicon micro-pillar 104 on the three electrodes 100 is optimized, and three different distribution methods are proposed:

[0059] a. Silicon micro-pillars exist only on the cathode, and the silicon micro-pillars 104 are evenly arranged on the surface of the cathode 103 facing the lead-out electrode 102 .

[0060] b. There are silicon micro-columns at the cathode and the lead-out electrode. The silicon micro-columns 104 are evenly arranged on the surfaces facing the cathode 103 and the lead-out electrode 102.

[0061] c. Silicon micro-columns 104 exist on the cathode, the lead-out electrode and the collector. The silicon micro-columns 104 are evenly arranged on the surfaces facing the cathode 103 and the lead-out electrode 102 , and are also arranged on the surface of the collector 101 facing the lead-out electrode 102 .

[0062] During the experiment, the arrangement and shape of the silicon microcolumns 104 directly affect the transmission efficiency of electrons and ions between the electrodes. The layout of the silicon microcolumns 104 on the side of the cathode 103 facing the lead-out electrode 102 can maximize the electric field force between the electrodes and improve the overall response speed and stability of the system.

[0063] Through experiments, it can be found that the silicon micro-column 104 array is fully laid on the cathode 103. The silicon micro-column 104 is 60 microns in height and 10 microns in diameter. The adjacent columns are arranged at an equal interval of 20 microns to form a square array. When the height of the silicon micro-column 104 is 6 times the diameter, the positive ion number density of the cathode silicon micro-column distribution is the largest, so this structure collector collects the largest current and has the best effect.

[0064] Simulated discharge parameters for three different silicon micro-pillar distributions

[0065]

[0066] The height of the silicon micro-rod 104 is six times the diameter in order to make full use of the characteristic of a large electric field at the tip of the silicon micro-rod 104 to enhance the field electron emission of the silicon material.

[0067] It should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention rather than to limit it. Although the present invention is described in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that the technical solutions of the present invention can be modified or replaced by equivalents without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention, which should be included in the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A three-electrode structure, characterized in that: include, Three electrodes (100), including a collecting electrode (101), an extracting electrode (102) and a cathode (103), wherein an insulating layer (200) is provided between the collecting electrode (101) and the extracting electrode (102), and between the extracting electrode (102) and the cathode (103); The three electrodes (100) further include silicon micro-pillars (104), and the silicon micro-pillars (104) are arranged between the three electrodes (100).

2. The three-electrode structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cathode (103) is provided with an air hole, and the air hole penetrates the surface of the cathode (103) facing the lead-out electrode (102).

3. The three-electrode structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The silicon micron columns (104) are evenly arranged on the surface of the cathode (103) facing the lead-out electrode (102), and the silicon micron columns (104) and the air holes are staggered; The silicon micron columns (104) have a height of 60 microns and a diameter of 10 microns, and adjacent silicon micron columns (104) are arranged at equal intervals of 20 microns to form a square array.

4. A method for optimizing the distribution of silicon micron columns, characterized in that: It comprises the three electrodes (100) and silicon micro-pillars (104) as claimed in claim 1, and also comprises changing the distribution of the silicon micro-pillars (104), and measuring the current collected by the collector (101) under each distribution, and taking the distribution of the silicon micro-pillars (104) when the current collected by the collector (101) is the largest as the preferred one.

5. The method for optimizing the distribution of silicon micro-columns according to claim 4, characterized in that: The silicon micron columns (104) are evenly arranged on the surface of the cathode (103) facing the lead-out electrode (102).

6. The method for optimizing the distribution of silicon micro-columns according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that: When the silicon micron columns (104) are evenly arranged on the surface of the cathode (103) facing the lead-out electrode (102), the magnitude of the current collected by the collector (101) is measured.

7. The method for optimizing the distribution of silicon micro-columns according to claim 4, characterized in that: The silicon micron columns (104) are evenly arranged on the surface facing the cathode (103) and the lead-out electrode (102).

8. The method for optimizing the distribution of silicon micro-columns according to claim 4 or 7, characterized in that: When the silicon micron columns (104) are evenly arranged on the surface directly facing the cathode (103) and the lead-out electrode (102), the magnitude of the current collected by the collector (101) is measured.

9. The method for optimizing the distribution of silicon micro-columns according to claim 4, characterized in that: The silicon micron columns (104) are evenly arranged on the surface facing the cathode (103) and the extraction electrode (102), and are also arranged on the surface of the collector (101) facing the extraction electrode (102).

10. The method for optimizing the distribution of silicon micro-columns according to claim 4 or 9, characterized in that: The magnitude of the current collected by the collector (101) is measured when the silicon micron column (104) is evenly arranged on the surface facing the cathode (103) and the extraction electrode (102), and is also arranged on the surface of the collector (101) facing the extraction electrode (102).

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