Title :
Optimum geometry and space-charge effects in vacuum microelectronics devices
Author :
Cui, Zheng ; Tong, Linsu
Author_Institution :
Cavendish Lab., Cambridge Univ., UK
fDate :
2/1/1993 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
A numerical method is presented for the simulation of electrical characteristics of microemitter devices. The method, a combination of the boundary integral method and the finite difference method, is capable of dealing with arbitrary microemitter shapes and calculating space-charge effects. A spherical mesh structure has been used, which allows calculations with high resolution in the vicinity of a microemitter apex. Seven different microemitter shapes have been simulated for the comparison of their field-enhancement factors. The optimum geometry of a microemitter is found to be a cusp-like shape. The space charge has an effect on field emission current only for current densities above 108 A/cm2
Keywords :
boundary-elements methods; electron field emission; finite difference methods; mesh generation; space charge; vacuum microelectronics; boundary integral method; cusp-like shape; electrical characteristics; field emission current; field-enhancement factors; finite difference method; microemitter devices; numerical method; optimum geometry; simulation; space-charge effects; spherical mesh structure; vacuum microelectronics devices; Current density; Electric variables; Electrodes; Finite difference methods; Geometry; Integral equations; Microelectronics; Shape; Space charge; Space technology;
Journal_Title :
Electron Devices, IEEE Transactions on
