Method of electrochemical etching of tungsten tips with controllable profiles

We demonstrate a new and simple process to fabricate tungsten tips with good control of the tip profile. In this process, we use a commercial function generator without any electronic cutoff circuit or complex mechanical setup. The tip length can be varied from 160 mu m to 10 mm, corresponding to an aspect ratio of 1.6-100. The radius of curvature of the tip apex can be controlled to a size <10 nm. Surface roughness and the taper angle can be controlled independently. Through control of the etching parameters, the tip length, the radius of curvature, surface roughness, and the taper angle can be controlled to suit different requirements of various applications. The possible etching mechanisms are also discussed. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4745394]