Fundamentals of vacuum microelectronics

**Expert coverage of vacuum microelectronics-principles, devices, and applications The field of vacuum microelectronics has advanced so swiftly that commercial devices are being fabricated, and applications are being developed in displays, wireless communications, spacecraft, and electronics for use in harsh environments. It is a rapidly evolving, interdisciplinary field encompassing electrical engineering, materials science, vacuum engineering, and applied physics.This book surveys the fundamentals, technology, and device applications of this nascent field. Editor Wei Zhu brings together some of the world's foremost experts to provide comprehensive and in-depth coverage of the entire spectrum of vacuum microelectronics. Topics include:* Field emission theory* Metal and silicon field emitter arrays* Novel cold cathode materials* Field emission flat panel displays* Cold cathode microwave devices **Vacuum Microelectronics is intended for practitioners in the display, microwave, telecommunications, and microelectronics industries and in government and university research laboratories, as well as for graduate students majoring in electrical engineering, materials science, and physics. It provides cutting-edge, expert coverage of the subject and serves as both an introductory text and a professional reference.**** VACUUM MICROELECTRONICS......Page 3 CONTENTS......Page 7 Preface......Page 11 List of Contributors......Page 15 1.2 Shoulders’ Proposal......Page 17 1.3 Groundbreaking Work......Page 18 1.4 Invention of Spindt Cathode......Page 20 1.5 Field Emitter Arrays......Page 21 1.6 New Cathode Materials......Page 22 1.7 Future......Page 23 References......Page 25 2.1 Introduction......Page 29 2.2 Promise and Reality......Page 30 2.3 Case Studies......Page 31 2.4 Outlook......Page 46 References......Page 47 3.1 Introduction......Page 49 3.2 One-Dimensional Tunneling Theory: Metals......Page 51 3.3 Emission from Multi-Dimensional Structures......Page 85 3.4 Conclusion......Page 113 References......Page 114 4.1 Introduction......Page 121 4.2 A Brief History of the Spindt Cathode......Page 122 4.3 Fabrication Technology......Page 124 4.4 Performance......Page 157 4.5 Applications and Ongoing Developments......Page 195 Acknowledgments......Page 197 References......Page 198 5.1 Introduction......Page 203 5.2 Fabrication of Silicon FEAs......Page 206 5.3 Free Electron Theory of Field Emission......Page 215 5.4 Emission Characterization of Silicon FEAs......Page 221 5.5 Local Circuit Elements......Page 240 5.6 Summary......Page 257 References......Page 258 6.1 Introduction......Page 263 6.2 Diamond Emitters......Page 264 6.3 Carbon Nanotube Emitters......Page 281 6.4 Other Cold Cathodes......Page 290 References......Page 296 7.1 Introduction......Page 305 7.2 Field Emission Displays......Page 306 7.3 Other Display Technologies......Page 350 7.4 Summary......Page 357 Institutions Involved in FED Commercialization......Page 358 References......Page 359 8.1 Introduction......Page 365 8.2 Microwave Amplifiers......Page 366 8.3 Field Emitter Arrays......Page 371 8.4 Characteristics of FEA-Cathode Microwave Tubes......Page 397 8.5 Future Work......Page 401 References......Page 402 Index......Page 409 047132244X VACUUM MICROELECTRONICS 3 CONTENTS 7 Preface 11 List of Contributors 15 1. Historical Overview 17 1.1 Introduction 17 1.2 Shoulders’ Proposal 17 1.3 Groundbreaking Work 18 1.4 Invention of Spindt Cathode 20 1.5 Field Emitter Arrays 21 1.6 New Cathode Materials 22 1.7 Future 23 Dedication 25 References 25 2 Technological Overview 29 2.1 Introduction 29 2.2 Promise and Reality 30 2.3 Case Studies 31 2.4 Outlook 46 References 47 3 Theory of Field Emission 49 3.1 Introduction 49 3.2 One-Dimensional Tunneling Theory: Metals 51 3.3 Emission from Multi-Dimensional Structures 85 3.4 Conclusion 113 Acknowledgments 114 References 114 4 Spindt Field Emitter Arrays 121 4.1 Introduction 121 4.2 A Brief History of the Spindt Cathode 122 4.3 Fabrication Technology 124 4.4 Performance 157 4.5 Applications and Ongoing Developments 195 4.6 Summary 197 Acknowledgments 197 References 198 5 Silicon Field Emitter Arrays 203 5.1 Introduction 203 5.2 Fabrication of Silicon FEAs 206 5.3 Free Electron Theory of Field Emission 215 5.4 Emission Characterization of Silicon FEAs 221 5.5 Local Circuit Elements 240 5.6 Summary 257 Dedication 258 References 258 6 Novel Cold Cathode Materials 263 6.1 Introduction 263 6.2 Diamond Emitters 264 6.3 Carbon Nanotube Emitters 281 6.4 Other Cold Cathodes 290 6.5 Conclusion 296 References 296 7 Field Emission Flat Panel Displays 305 7.1 Introduction 305 7.2 Field Emission Displays 306 7.3 Other Display Technologies 350 7.4 Summary 357 Institutions Involved in FED Commercialization 358 Acknowledgments 359 References 359 8 Cold Cathode Microwave Devices 365 8.1 Introduction 365 8.2 Microwave Amplifiers 366 8.3 Field Emitter Arrays 371 8.4 Characteristics of FEA-Cathode Microwave Tubes 397 8.5 Future Work 401 References 402 Index 409 Expert coverage of vacuum microelectronics-principles, devices, and applications The field of vacuum microelectronics has advanced so swiftly that commercial devices are being fabricated, and applications are being developed in displays, wireless communications, spacecraft, and electronics for use in harsh environments. It is a rapidly evolving, interdisciplinary field encompassing electrical engineering, materials science, vacuum engineering, and applied physics. This book surveys the fundamentals, technology, and device applications of this nascent field. Editor Wei Zhu brings together some of the world's foremost experts to provide comprehensive and in-depth coverage of the entire spectrum of vacuum microelectronics. Topics include: • Field emission theory • Metal and silicon field emitter arrays • Novel cold cathode materials • Field emission flat panel displays • Cold cathode microwave devices Vacuum Microelectronics is intended for practitioners in the display, microwave, telecommunications, and microelectronics industries and in government and university research laboratories, as well as for graduate students majoring in electrical engineering, materials science, and physics. It provides cutting-edge, expert coverage of the subject and serves as both an introductory text and a professional reference. When semiconductor transistors were invented by Bardeen, Brattain, and Shockley in the 1950s [1], and integrated circuits were subsequently developed in the 1960s [2,3], people generally thought that the time of using vacuum tubes was over.