Cold field electron emitters based on silicon carbide structures
AssigneesThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Commerce, The National Institute of Standards and Technology, University of Maryland
InventorsFred Sharifi, Henry Lezec, Myung-Gyu Kang
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Abstract
A cold cathode field emission electron source capable of emission at levels comparable to thermal sources is described. Emission in excess of 6 A/cm2 at 7.5 V/μm is demonstrated in a macroscopic emitter array. The emitter has a monolithic and rigid porous semiconductor nanostructure with uniformly distributed emission sites, and is fabricated through a room temperature process which allows for control of emission properties. These electron sources can be used in a wide range of applications, including microwave electronics and x-ray imaging for medicine and security.
Claims15
A field emitter having a plurality of discrete emission projections extending from an emission face of the field emitter, the field emitter being monolithic and homogenous in a direction transverse to the emission face of the field emitter, the field emitter being porous and including silicon carbide.
A field emitter comprising silicon carbide, wherein (i) the field emitter defines an emission face and includes a plurality of discrete emission projections extending from the emission face, (ii) the field emitter is monolithic and homogeneous in a direction transverse to the emission face of the field emitter, (iii) the field emitter is free of nanostructured tubes or rods, and (iv) the field emitter has a porous structure with an average pore size of from about 10 nm to about 1,000 nm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.