Methods for manufacture of self-aligned integrally gated nanofilament field emitter cell and array
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorDavid S. Y. Hsu
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Abstract
The present invention discloses a new field emitter cell and array consisting of groups of nanofilaments forming emitter cathodes. Control gates are microprocessed to be integrally formed with groups of nanofilament emitter cathodes on a substrate. Groups of nanofilaments are grown directly on the substrate material. As a result, the control gates and groups of nanofilaments are self-aligned with one another.
Claims50
A method of manufacturing a field emitter cell, comprising the steps of:
- providing a conductive substrate layer;
- forming a catalyst layer on said conductive substrate layer;
- forming an insulating layer either on an upper surface of said catalyst layer or directly on said substrate layer;
- forming a conductive gate layer on an upper surface of said insulating layer;
- making at least one perforation through said gate layer that extends downward into said insulating layer thereby forming a gate aperture in said gate layer, with said perforation comprising sidewalls and being in electrical contact with either said catalyst layer or substrate layer;
- forming a standoff layer on said gate layer, said sidewalls, and said catalyst layer or substrate layer;
- removing the portion of said standoff layer on said gate layer, catalyst or substrate layer while retaining said standoff layer on said sidewalls;
- and
- growing an electrically conductive group of nanofilaments on said catalyst layer conductively associated with said substrate layer, said group of nanofilaments being electrically isolated from the said gate layer.
The method of 1, wherein the step of providing a conductive substrate layer involves the formation of a nanoporous silicon substrate layer.
A method of manufacturing a field emitter cell, comprising the steps of:
- providing a conductive substrate layer having at least one raised structure thereon, said raised structure being conductively associated with said substrate layer and having an upper surface and sidewalls;
- forming a catalyst layer conductively associated with said raised structure;
- providing an insulating layer;
- and
- forming a conductive gate layer over said insulating layer, said conductive gate layer having a gate aperture horizontally surrounding said raised structure and extending downward into said insulating layer;
- and
- growing a conductive group of nanofilaments on said catalyst layer, said group of nanofilaments being electrically isolated from said gate layer.
A method of manufacturing a field emitter cell, comprising the steps of:
- providing an conductive substrate layer;
- forming a catalyst layer on said conductive substrate layer;
- forming an insulating layer either on an upper surface of said catalyst layer or directly on said substrate layer;
- forming a conductive gate layer on an upper surface of said insulating layer;
- making at least one perforation through said gate layer that extends downward into said insulating layer thereby forming a gate aperture in said gate layer, with said perforation comprising sidewalls and being in electrical contact with either said catalyst layer or substrate layer;
- and
- growing an electrically conductive group of nanofilaments on said catalyst layer conductively associated with said substrate layer, said nanofilaments being electrically isolated from said gate layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.