Tunneling emitters and method of making
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsSriram Ramamoorthi, Zhizhang Chen
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Abstract
An emitter has an electron supply layer and a tunneling layer formed on the electron supply layer. Optionally, an insulator layer is formed on the electron supply layer and has openings defined within in which the tunneling layer is formed. A cathode layer is formed on the tunneling layer. A conductive layer is partially disposed on the cathode layer and partially on the insulator layer if present. The conductive layer defines an opening to provide a surface for energy emissions of electrons and/or photons. Preferably but optionally, the emitter is subjected to an annealing process thereby increasing the supply of electrons tunneled from the electron supply layer to the cathode layer.
Claims48
An emitter, comprising:
- an electron supply;
- a tunneling layer disposed on the electron supply;
- and
- a cathode layer disposed on the tunnel layer;
- a conduction layer disposed partially on the cathode layer and defining an opening to create an emission area,
- wherein the electron supply, tunneling layer, and cathode layer have been subjected to an annealing process.
An emitter, comprising:
- an electron supply layer;
- an insulator layer formed on the electron supply layer and having an opening defined within;
- a tunneling layer formed on the electron supply layer in the opening and further disposed over the insulator layer;
- a cathode layer formed on the tunneling layer;
- and
- a conductive layer partial disposed on the cathode layer and partially disposed on the insulator layer;
- wherein the emitter has been subjected to an annealing process to increase the supply of electrons tunneled from the electron supply layer to the cathode layer for energy emission.
An emitter, comprising:
- an electron supply surface;
- an insulator layer formed on the electron supply surface and having a first opening defined within;
- a tunneling layer formed on the electron supply layer within the first opening and further disposed on the insulator layer;
- a conductive layer disposed over portions of the tunneling layer and defining a second opening;
- and
- a cathode layer disposed on the tunneling layer and beneath portions of the conductive layer, wherein the portion of the cathode layer on the tunneling layer in the second opening is an electron-emitting surface.
An integrated circuit, comprising:
- a conductive surface to provide an electron supply;
- at least one emitter formed on the electron supply including,
- an insulator layer having at least one opening to define the location and shape of the at least one flat emitter device,
- a tunneling layer disposed within the at least one opening of the insulator layer and further partially disposed over the insulator layer;
- a conductive layer having at least one opening disposed within and in substantial alignment with the at least one opening of the insulator layer;
- and
- a cathode layer disposed over the tunneling layer and partially beneath the conductive layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.