Method of making micromachined refractory metal field emitters
OwnerHeinz H. Busta, Raul D. Cuellarinventors
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Abstract
A method of making a field emitter includes anisotropically etching a single crystal silicon substrate to form at least one funnel-shaped protrusion on the substrate, then conformally depositing a refractory metal onto the funnel-shaped protrusion. Alternatively, single crystal silicon may be anisotropically etched to form at least one funnel-shaped recess in the silicon. The etched surface is doped with an impurity to form an etch-stop layer, the remaining undoped silicon is removed, then the etch-stop layer is conformally deposited with a refractory metal. The funnel-shaped recess can then be back-filled with silicon or another suitable material.
Claims19
A method of making a field-emitter structure comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a substrate of single crystal silicon having a front surface and a back surface;
- (b) etching the front surface of the substrate to form at least one funnel-shaped recess in the substrate;
- (c) diffusing an impurity into the etched substrate front surface to form an etch-stop layer;
- (d) etching the back surface of the substrate to remove the single crystal silicon down to the etch-stop layer;
- and
- (e) conformally depositing a refractory metal onto the etched back surface of the substrate.
A method of making a field-emitter structure comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a substrate of single crystal silicon having a front surface and a back surface;
- (b) etching the front surface of the substrate to form at least one funnel-shaped protrusion on the substrate;
- and
- (c) conformally depositing a refractory metal onto the etched front surface of the substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.