US 5,475,280 A · Vertical microelectronic field emission devices

Abstract

A vertical microelectronic field emitter includes a conductive top portion and a resistive bottom portion in an elongated column which extends vertically from a horizontal substrate. An emitting electrode may be formed at the base of the column, and an extraction electrode may be formed adjacent the top of the column. The elongated column reduces the parasitic capacitance of the microelectronic field emitter to provide high speed operation, while providing uniform column-to-column resistance. The field emitter may be formed by first forming tips on the face of a substrate and then forming trenches in the substrate around the tips to form columns in the substrate, with the tips lying on top of the columns. The trenches are filled with a dielectric and a conductor layer is formed on the dielectric. Alternatively, trenches may be formed in the face of the substrate with the trenches defining columns in the substrate. Then, tips are formed on top of the columns. The trenches are filled with dielectric and the conductor layer is formed on the dielectric to form the extraction electrodes.

Claims46

Dependent claims

A microelectronic field emitter comprising:

a substrate;
an elongated vertical pillar on said substrate, extending therefrom, said pillar having a wall, a resistive bottom portion adjacent said substrate and a conductive top portion opposite said substrate;
an electron emitting element on said conductive top portion;
an insulating layer on said substrate, extending adjacent said wall;
and
at least one electrode on said insulating layer, extending proximate to said electron emitting element, for extracting electrons therefrom.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Vertical microelectronic field emission devices

Life of this patent

Vertical microelectronic field emission devices

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims46