Method of manufacturing a field-emission cathode structure
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorsHenry F. Gray, Richard F. Greene
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of manufacturing a field-emitter array cathode structure in which substrate of single crystal material is selectively masked such that the unmasked areas define islands on the underlying substrate. The single crystal material under the unmasked areas is orientation-dependent etched to form an array of holes whose sides intersect at a crystallographically sharp point. Following removal of the mask, the substrate is covered with a thick layer of material capable of emitting electrons which extends above the substrate surface and fills the holes. Thereafter, the material of the substrate underneath the layer of electron-emitting material is etched to expose a plurality of sharp field-emitter tips.
Claims6
A method of manufacturing a field-emitter structure comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a substrate of a single crystal material;
- (b) selectively masking a main surface of the substrate such that the unmasked areas define at least one island on the main surface of the underlying substrate;
- (c) orientation-dependent etching the single crystal material under the unmasked areas to form at least one hole whose sides intersect at a crystallographically sharp point;
- (d) removing the mask;
- (e) filling the holes with a layer of a material capable of emitting electrons under the influence of an electric field;
- (f) extending the layer of electron-emitting material above the main surface of the substrate;
- and
- (g) etching the material of the substrate underneath the layer of electron-emitting material to expose at least one field-emitter cathode tip.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.