Fabrication and characterization of cathodoluminescent devices made using porous silicon as a cold-cathode field emitter

A cost efficient, easy to fabricate cathodoluminescent (CL) device that utilizes porous silicon (Si) as a high-density field emitter in a vacuumless layered structure, was fabricated and tested. The structure consists of a porous Si substrate capped with three layers: an active phosphor layer, an insulating layer and a transparent indium-tin-oxide electrode. Electrons emitted from protrusions in porous Si are accelerated toward the phosphor layer where light is generated both upon impact ionization of activator atoms and due to further ballistic acceleration of electrons within the phosphor layer.