Fabrication of gated electron-emitting devices utilizing distributed particles to define gate openings, typically in combination with lift-off of excess emitter material

A method comprising the steps of:

• distributing a multiplicity of particles over an electrically insulating layer;
• providing electrically non-insulating gate material over the insulating layer at least in space between the particles;
• providing primary material over the gate material at least in space between the particles;
• removing the particles and substantially any material overlying the particles such that the remaining primary material comprises a primary layer through which a like multiplicity of primary openings extend at the locations of the so-removed particles and such that the remaining gate material comprises a gate layer through which a like multiplicity of gate openings extend at locations respectively aligned vertically to the primary openings;
• etching the insulating layer through the gate openings to form corresponding dielectric openings substantially through the insulating layer down to an underlying lower electrically non-insulating region;
• and
• forming a like multiplicity of electron-emissive elements over the lower non-insulating region such that each electron-emissive element is at least partially situated in a corresponding one of the dielectric openings.

A method comprising the steps of:

• providing a structure in which an electrically non-insulating gate layer overlies an electrically insulating layer above a lower electrically non-insulating region;
• distributing a multiplicity of particles over the gate layer;
• providing primary material over the gate layer at least in space between the particles;
• removing the particles and substantially any material overlying the particles such that the remaining primary material comprises a primary layer through which a like multiplicity of primary openings extend at the locations of the so-removed particles;
• etching the gate layer through the primary openings to form corresponding gate openings through the gate layer;
• etching the insulating layer through the gate openings to form corresponding dielectric openings substantially through the insulating layer;
• depositing electrically non-insulating emitter material over the primary layer and into the dielectric openings to form corresponding electron-emissive elements over the lower non-insulating region;
• and
• removing the primary layer so as to substantially remove any of the emitter material accumulated over the primary layer.

A method comprising the steps of:

• distributing a multiplicity of particles over a primary layer;
• providing further material over the primary layer at least in space between the particles;
• removing the particles and substantially any material overlying the particles such that apertures extend through the remaining further material at the locations of the so-removed particles;
• etching the primary layer through the apertures to form corresponding primary openings through the primary layer down to an underlying electrically non-insulating gate layer;
• etching the gate layer through the primary openings to form corresponding gate openings through the gate layer down to an underlying electrically insulating layer;
• etching the insulating layer through the gate openings to form corresponding dielectric openings substantially through the insulating layer down to an underlying lower electrically non-insulating region;
• and
• forming a like multiplicity of electron-emissive elements over the lower non-insulating region such that each electron-emissive element is at least partially situated in a corresponding one of the dielectric openings.