Narrow gate opening manufacturing of gated fluid emitters
AssigneeIndustrial Technology Research Institute
InventorDavid N.-C. Liu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of forming a self-aligned gated field emitter with reduced gate opening and uniform gate height, on a substrate, is described. A field emitter is formed on the substrate. A thin, conformal dielectric layer is formed over the field emitter and the substrate. A thick dielectric layer is formed over the thin, conformal dielectric layer. The thick dielectric layer is planarized. The thick dielectric layer is etched back. A conductive layer is formed over the thick dielectric layer. The conductive layer is planarized and then etched back. The field emitter is exposed by forming an opening in the conductive layer, by removing the portion of the thin, conformal dielectric layer above and around the top of the field emitter.
Claims27
The method of forming a self-aligned gated field emitter structure on a substrate, comprising the steps of:
- forming a field emitter having a sharp tip on said substrate;
- forming a thin, conformal dielectric layer over said field emitter and said substrate;
- forming a thick dielectric layer over said think, conformal dielectric layer;
- planarizing said thick dielectric layer;
- etching back said thick dielectric layer;
- forming a conductive layer over said thick dielectric planarizing said conductive layer;
- etching back said conductive layer;
- and
- exposing said field emitter by removing a portion of said thin, conformal dielectric layer above and around said sharp tip of said field emitter.
The method of forming a self-aligned gated field emitter structure, comprising:
- providing a substrate;
- forming and patterning a first insulating layer on said substrate to create an etching mask;
- removing a portion of said substrate in the region not masked by said etching mask, and also in a region under each edge of said etching mask to form an emitter structure, such that said regions under each edge approach each other;
- removing said etching mask;
- oxidizing said emitter structure;
- etching said emitter structure to form a field emitter having a sharp tip;
- forming a thin, conformal dielectric layer over said field emitter and said substrate;
- forming a thick dielectric layer over said thin, conformal dielectric layer;
- planarizing said thick dielectric layer;
- etching back said thick dielectric layer;
- forming a conductive layer over said thick dielectric layer;
- planarizing said conductive layer;
- etching back said conductive layer;
- and
- exposing said field emitter by removing a portion of said thin, conformal dielectric layer above and around said sharp tip of said field emitter.
A self-aligned gated field emitter structure, comprising:
- a field emitter having a sharp tip on a substrate;
- a thin insulating layer over said substrate and over a portion of said field emitter;
- a conductive layer with an opening through which said tip of said field emitter is exposed;
- a thick dielectric layer, formed of a different material than said thin insulating layer, between said thin insulating layer and said conductive layer;
- and
- a layer of aluminum oxide between said conductive layer and said substrate, wherein said layer of aluminum oxide is formed of a different material than said thin insulating layer or said thick dielectric layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.