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US 7,078,855 B2Granted
Dielectric light device
OwnerZhizhang Chen, Sriram Ramamoorthi +2inventors
InventorsZhizhang Chen, Sriram Ramamoorthi, Terry E McMahon, Timothy F. Myers
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Abstract
A light device includes an electron supply defining an emitter surface. A dielectric tunneling layer is disposed between the electron supply and a cathode layer. The cathode layer has at least partial photon transparency that is substantially uniform across the emitter surface.
Claims36
A light device, comprising:
- a tunneling layer of a high field strength dielectric;
- an emitting surface having a first area defined on the tunneling layer, the emitter surface having a cathode surface having at least some area that is substantially fully transparent to photons created from electron state transitions of electrons that tunnel through the tunneling layer;
- a first chamber having substantially parallel sidewalls interfacing to the emitting surface;
- and
- a second chamber interfacing to the first chamber and having sidewalls diverging to an opening having a second area larger than the first area.
2 more elements
An integrated circuit, comprising:
- a conductive surface to provide an electron supply;
- at least one light device 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 light device,
- a conductive layer disposed over the insulator layer, the conductive layer having at least one opening in alignment with the at least one opening;
- a tunneling layer disposed within the at least one opening of the insulator layer;
- and
- a cathode layer disposed partially over the conductive layer and over the tunneling layer, wherein the cathode layer has at least some area substantially fully transparent to photons distributed substantially uniform over the opening in the insulator layer wherein photons created from electron energy state transitions of electrons that tunnel through the tunneling layer are emitted through the cathode layer.
4 more elements
A method for creating a processed light device on an electron supply, comprising the steps of:
- forming a high field strength dielectric tunneling layer less than 500 Angstroms;
- and
- forming a dielectric light emitter and detector using semiconductor thin-film layers on the electron supply, at least one of the thin-film layers being a film characterized as at least some area substantially transparent to photons created from electron energy state transitions of electrons that tunnel through the high is field strength dielectric tunneling layer and are emitted through the cathode layer.
A method for creating a processed light device on an electron supply, comprising the steps of:
- applying a conductive layer to adhere to an insulator layer disposed on the electron supply, the insulator layer defining an opening to the electron supply;
- applying a patterning layer on the conductive layer;
- creating an opening in the patterning and conductive layer to the electron supply;
- applying a tunneling layer less than 500 Angstroms thick over the patterning layer and the opening;
- etching the patterning layer to remove it from under the tunneling layer thereby removing the tunneling layer not disposed in the opening by lift-off from the conductive layer;
- and
- applying an at least partially transparent cathode layer on the tunneling layer having at least some area of substantially full photon transparency distributed substantially uniformly across the opening.
4 more elements
A method for creating a processed light device on an electron supply surface, the method comprising the steps of:
- creating an insulator layer on the electron supply surface;
- defining an emission area within the insulator layer;
- applying an adhesion layer on the insulator layer;
- applying a conduction layer on the adhesion layer;
- applying a patterning layer on the conduction layer;
- creating an opening to the conduction layer in the patterning layer;
- etching the conduction layer in the opening to the adhesion layer;
- etching the adhesion layer to the electron supply;
- applying a tunneling layer over the patterning layer and the opening;
- etching the patterning layer beneath the tunneling layer and thereby lifting off the tunneling layer except a portion adhered to the electron supply surface in the opening;
- applying a cathode layer over the portion of the tunneling layer and a portion of the conduction layer;
- etching the cathode layer;
- and
- creating nanohole-sized openings in the cathode layer.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.