Gated electron field emitter having an interlayer
AssigneeExtreme Devices, Inc.
InventorsKeith D. Jamison, Donald E. Patterson, Charlie Hong, Randolph D. Schueller, David F. Hebert, Richard L. Woodin
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Abstract
A field emitter (10) having improved electron emission properties is provided. Electron-emitting microtip protrusions (14) in an emitter layer (12) are separated from a dielectric layer (18) by an interlayer (16) that prevents substantial mixing of the dielectric (16) and the emitter layer (12) during growth of the dielectric layer (18). A conductive gate electrode layer (20) is deposited on the dielectric layer (18). For carbon-based emitters, aluminum is one of several suitable interlayers between the carbon layer and a silicon dioxide dielectric layer.
Claims13
A system for field emission comprising:
- a field emitter layer having a plurality of microtip protrusions;
- a metal interlayer on the field emitter layer, the interlayer being around each of a majority of the microtips in the field emitter layer;
- a dielectric layer on the metal interlayer, the dielectric layer being around each of a majority of the microtips in the field emitter layer, and
- a conductive gate layer on the dielectric layer, the conductive gate layer being around and spaced apart from each of a majority of the microtips in the field emitter layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.