Maximizing field-emitter-array transconductance for microwave applications

Author

Spindt, C.A. ; Holland, C.E. ; Schwoebel, P.R. ; Brodie, I.

Author_Institution

Vacuum Microelectron. Program, SRI Int., Menlo Park, CA, USA

fYear

1995

fDate

July 30 1995-Aug. 3 1995

Firstpage

137

Abstract

Summary form only given. Our experiments have shown that reducing the gate aperture of a field emitter array from 1 /spl mu/m to 0.4 /spl mu/m can roughly double the transconductance (g/sub m/) for a given number of emitter tips at a given total emission current, whereas quadrupling the number of 1-/spl mu/m diameter emitters in the array will only increase g/sub m/ by 1.3 times at the same total emission current. With the Spindt-cathode fabrication process, it is possible to adjust the emitter-growth procedure to favor the formation of larger or smaller-radius tips (areas) by manipulation of the deposition parameters during the emitter-cone formation process. These design and engineering issues will be discussed in detail.

Keywords

microwave tubes; vacuum microelectronics; Spindt cathode; fabrication; field emitter array; gate aperture; microwave applications; transconductance; Apertures; Cathodes; Contracts; Design engineering; Fabrication; Geometry; Lithography; Microelectronics; Process design; Transconductance;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Vacuum Microelectronics Conference, 1995. IVMC., 1995 International

Conference_Location

Portland, OR, USA

Print_ISBN

0-7803-2143-X

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/IVMC.1995.487009

Filename

487009