# US 4,259,678 A · Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing same, as well as a pick-up device and a display device having such a semiconductor device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,259,678 A - Document ID: US4259678A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 05/971,767 - Filed: 1978-12-21 - Granted: 1981-03-31 - Earliest claimed: 1978-01-27 - Assignees: U.S. Philips Corporation - Inventors: Gerardus G. P. van Gorkom; Arthur M. E. Hoeberechts - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4259678A ## CPC - H01J 37/3175: {Projection methods, i.e. transfer substantially complete pattern to substrate} - B82Y 10/00: Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic - B82Y 40/00: Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures - H01J 1/308: Semiconductor cathodes, e.g. cathodes with PN junction layers - H01J 2237/31784: Semiconductor cathode - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) - B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES ## Abstract The invention relates to a semiconductor cathode based on avalanche breakdown in the p-n junction. The released electrons obtain extra accelerating energy by means of an electrode provided on the device. The achieved efficiency increase makes the manufacture of such cathodes in planar silicon technology sensible. Such cathodes are applied, for example, in cathode ray tube, flat displays, pick-up tubes and electron lithography. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A semiconductor device used as a cathode for generating an electron flow comprising a semiconductor body having a p-n junction, a depletion zone of said p-n junction adjoining at least a surface of said semiconductor body, means for applying a reverse voltage across said p-n junction to generate avalanche multiplication of electrons from said semiconductor body, an electrically insulating layer provided on said surface of said semiconductor body, at least one aperture provided in said insulating layer for exposing at least part of said depletion zone, and electrode means formed on said insulating layer at an edge of said aperture for accelerating electrons through said aperture. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said p-n junction terminates at said surface where said depletion zone adjoins. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein said p-n junction is formed between a lower doped first region of a first conductivity type and a more highly doped second region of a second conductivity type, and a surface layer having a higher doping concentration of said first conductivity type than said first region is present at least at an area of said aperture. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A semiconductor device according to claim 3, wherein said electrode means comprises a conductive layer provided on said insulating layer at least at a portion of said edge of said aperture. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A semiconductor device according to claim 4, wherein said aperture is formed in a narrow gap having a width dimension of the same order of magnitude as a thickness of said insulating layer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A semiconductor device according to claim 5, wherein said aperture crosses said p-n junction substantially at right angles. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein said semiconductor body is silicon. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein said electrode means is polycrystalline silicon. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A semiconductor device according to claim 8, wherein said semiconductor body is covered at least at an area of said aperture with a material for reducing electron work function. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A semiconductor device according to claim 9, wherein said material for reducing electron work function includes one of cesium or barium. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said p-n junction is formed between a lower doped first region of a first conductivity type and a more highly doped second region of a second conductivity type, and a surface layer having a higher doping concentration of said first conductivity type than said first region is present at least at an area of said aperture. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein said electrode means comprises a conductive layer provided on said insulating layer at least at a portion of said edge of said aperture. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A semiconductor device according to claim 12, wherein said aperture is formed in a narrow gap having a width dimension of th same order of magnitude as a thickness of said insulating layer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A semiconductor device according to claim 13, wherein said aperture cross said p-n junction substantially at right angles. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A semiconductor device according to claim 14, wherein said semiconductor body is silicon. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A semiconductor device according to claim 15, wherein said electrode means is polycrystalline silicon. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A semiconductor device according to claim 16, wherein said semiconductor body is covered at least at an area of said aperture with a material for reducing electron work function. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A semiconductor device according to claim 17, wherein said material for reducing electron work function includes one of cesium or barium. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said electrode means comprises a conductive layer provided on said insulating layer at least at a portion of said edge of said aperture. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said aperture is formed in a narrow gap having a width dimension of the same order of magnitude as a thickness of said insulating layer. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said aperture crosses said p-n junction substantially at right angles. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor body is silicon. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said electrode means is polycrystalline silicon. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor body is covered at least at an area of said aperture with a material for reducing electron work function. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) A semiconductor device according to claim 24, wherein said material for reducing electron work function includes one of cesium or barium. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein a recess is present in said semiconductor body at least at said aperture, said depletion zone adjoining a surface of said recess. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) A semiconductor device according to claim 26, wherein said p-n junction terminates at said surface where said depletion zone adjoins. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) A semiconductor device according to claim 27, wherein said p-n junction is formed between a lower doped first region of a first conductivity type and a more highly doped second region of a second conductivity type, and a surface layer having a higher doping concentration of said first conductivity type than said first region is present at least at an area of said aperture. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) A semiconductor device according to claim 28, wherein said electrode means comprises a conductive layer provided on said insulating layer at least at a portion of said edge of said aperture. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) A semiconductor device according to claim 29, wherein said aperture is formed in a narrow gap having a width dimension of the same order of magnitude as a thickness of said insulating layer. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) A semiconductor device according to claim 30, wherein said aperture crosses said p-n junction substantially at right angles. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) A semiconductor device according to claim 31, wherein said semiconductor body is silicon. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) A semiconductor device according to claim 32, wherein said electrode means is polycrystalline silicon. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) A semiconductor device according to claim 33, wherein said semiconductor body is covered at least at an area of said aperture with a material for reducing electron work function. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) A semiconductor device according to claim 34, wherein said material for reducing electron work function includes one of cesium or barium. ### Claim 36 (depends on 26) A semiconductor device according to claim 26, wherein said p-n junction is formed between a lower doped first region of a first conductivity type and a more highly doped second region of a second conductivity type, and a surface layer having a higher doping concentration of said first conductivity type than said first region is present at least at an area of said aperture. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) A semiconductor device according to claim 36, wherein said electrode means comprises a conductive layer provided on said insulating layer at least at a portion of said edge of said aperture. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) A semiconductor device according to claim 37, wherein said aperture is formed in a narrow gap having a width dimension of the same order of magnitude as a thickness of said insulating layer. ### Claim 39 (depends on 38) A semiconductor device according to claim 38, wherein said aperture crosses said p-n junction substantially at right angles. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) A semiconductor device according to claim 39, wherein said semiconductor body is silicon. ### Claim 41 (depends on 40) A semiconductor device according to claim 40, wherein said electrode means is polycrystalline silicon. ### Claim 42 (depends on 41) A semiconductor device according to claim 41, wherein said semiconductor body is covered at least at an area of said aperture with a material for reducing electron work function. ### Claim 43 (depends on 42) A semiconductor device according to claim 42, wherein said material for reducing election work function includes one of cesium or barium. ### Claim 44 (depends on 26) A semiconductor device according to claim 26, wherein said electrode means comprises a conductive layer provided on said insulating layer at least at a portion of said edge of said aperture. ### Claim 45 (depends on 26) A semiconductor device according to claim 26, wherein said aperture is formed in a narrow gap having a width dimension of the same order of magnitude as a thickness of said insulating layer. ### Claim 46 (depends on 26) A semiconductor device according to claim 26, wherein said aperture crosses said p-n junction substantially at right angles. ### Claim 47 (depends on 26) A semiconductor device according to claim 26, wherein said semiconductor body is silicon. ### Claim 48 (depends on 26) A semiconductor device according to claim 26, wherein said electrode means is polycrystalline silicon. ### Claim 49 (depends on 26) A semiconductor device according to claim 26, wherein said semiconductor body is covered at least at an area of said aperture with a material for reducing electron work function. ### Claim 50 (depends on 49) A semiconductor device according to claim 49, wherein said material for reducing electron work function includes one of cesium or barium. ### Claim 51 (depends on 1) A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein a recess is present in said semiconductor body and at least a part of an edge of said aperture in said insulating layer coincides substantially with a wall of said recess, said wall forming said surface at which said depletion zone adjoins. ### Claim 52 (depends on 51) A semiconductor device according to claim 51, wherein said p-n junction terminates at said surface where said depletion zone adjoins. ### Claim 53 (depends on 52) A semiconductor device according to claim 52, wherein said p-n junction is formed between a lower doped first region of a first conductivity type and a more highly doped second region of a second conductivity type, and a surface layer having a higher doping concentration of said first conductivity type than said first region is present at least at an area of said aperture. ### Claim 54 (depends on 53) A semiconductor device according to claim 53, wherein said electrode means comprises a conductive layer provided on said insulating layer at least at a portion of said edge of said aperture. ### Claim 55 (depends on 54) A semiconductor device according to claim 54, wherein said aperture is formed in a narrow gap having a width dimension of the same order of magnitude as a thickness of said insulating layer. ### Claim 56 (depends on 55) A semiconductor device according to claim 55, wherein said aperture crosses said p-n junction substantially at right angles. ### Claim 57 (depends on 56) A semiconductor device according to claim 56, wherein said semiconductor body is silicon. ### Claim 58 (depends on 57) A semiconductor device according to claim 57, wherein said electrode means is polycrystalline silicon. ### Claim 59 (depends on 58) A semiconductor device according to claim 58, wherein said semiconductor body is covered at least at an area of said aperture with a material for reducing electron work function. ### Claim 60 (depends on 59) A semiconductor device according to claim 59, wherein said material for reducing electron work function includes one of cesium or barium. ### Claim 61 (depends on 51) A semiconductor device according to claim 51, wherein said p-n junction is formed between a lower doped first region of a first conductivity type and a more highly doped second region of a second conductivity type, and a surface layer having a higher doping concentration of said first conductivity type than said first region is present at least at an area of said aperture. ### Claim 62 (depends on 61) A semiconductor device according to claim 61, wherein said electrode means comprises a conductive layer provided on said insulating layer at least at a portion of said edge of said aperture. ### Claim 63 (depends on 63) A semiconductor device according to claim 63, wherein said aperture is formed in a narrow gap having a width dimension of the same order of magnitude as a thickness of said insulating layer. ### Claim 64 (depends on 63) A semiconductor device according to claim 63, wherein said aperture crosses said p-n junction substantially at right angles. ### Claim 65 (depends on 64) A semiconductor device according to claim 64, wherein said semiconductor body is silicon. ### Claim 66 (depends on 65) A semiconductor device according to claim 65, wherein said electrode means is polycrystalline silicon. ### Claim 67 (depends on 66) A semiconductor device according to claim 66, wherein said semiconductor body is covered at least at an area of said aperture with a material for reducing electron work function. ### Claim 68 (depends on 67) A semiconductor device according to claim 67, wherein said material for reducing electron work function includes one of cesium or barium. ### Claim 69 (depends on 51) A semiconductor device according to claim 51, wherein said electrode means comprises a conductive layer provided on said insulating layer at least at a portion of said edge of said aperture. ### Claim 70 (depends on 51) A semiconductor device according to claim 51, wherein said aperture is formed in a narrow gap having a width dimension of the same order of magnitude as a thickness of said insulating layer. ### Claim 71 (depends on 51) A semiconductor device according to claim 51, wherein said aperture crosses said p-n junction substantially at right angles. ### Claim 72 (depends on 51) A semiconductor device according to claim 51, wherein said semiconductor body is silicon. ### Claim 73 (depends on 51) A semiconductor device according to claim 51, wherein said electrode means is polycrystalline silicon. ### Claim 74 (depends on 51) A semiconductor device according to claim 51, wherein said semiconductor body is covered at least at an area of said aperture with a material for reducing electron work function. ### Claim 75 (depends on 74) A semiconductor device according to claim 74, wherein said material for reducing electron work function includes one of cesium or barium.