Nanostructure field emission cathode material within a device
OwnerMichael A. Guillorn, Michael L. Simpson +3inventors
InventorsMichael A. Guillorn, Michael L. Simpson, Vladimir I. Merkulov, Anatoli V. Melechko, Douglas H. Lowndes
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Abstract
Gated field emission devices and systems and methods for their fabrication are described. A method includes growing a substantially vertically aligned carbon nanostructure, the substantially vertically aligned carbon nanostructure coupled to a substrate; covering at least a portion of the substantially vertically aligned carbon nanostructure with a dielectric; forming a gate, the gate coupled to the dielectric; and releasing the substantially vertically aligned carbon nanostructure by forming an aperture in the gate and removing a portion of the dielectric.
Claims21
A method, comprising:
- growing a substantially vertically aligned carbon nanostructure, the substantially vertically aligned carbon nanostructure coupled to a substrate;
- covering at least a portion of the substantially vertically aligned carbon nanostructure with a dielectric;
- forming a gate, the gate coupled to the dielectric;
- and
- releasing the substantially vertically aligned carbon nanostructure by forming an aperture in the gate and removing a portion of the dielectric.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a substantially vertically aligned carbon nanostructure coupled to a substrate;
- a dielectric coupled to the substrate and surrounding at least a portion of the substantially vertically aligned carbon nanostructure;
- a gate coupled to the dielectric, the gate including a aperture substantially aligned with the substantially vertically aligned carbon nanostructure;
- another dielectric coupled to the gate, the another dielectric including a conduit substantially aligned with the substantially vertically aligned carbon nanostructure;
- and
- a focusing electrode coupled to the another dielectric, the focusing electrode including another aperture substantially aligned with the substantially vertically aligned carbon nanostructure,
- wherein the dielectric, the gate, the another dielectric and the another aperture define a well that circumscribes the substantially vertically aligned carbon nanostructure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.