Field Emitter Array RF Amplifier Development Project. Phase 1, Cathode Technology Development

Abstract

MCNC has theoretically determined the vertical column field emitter approach to be superior to its thin film and wedge emitter approaches for high frequency applications. Calculations indicate that the device transconductance/ capacitance ratio per cell plays the most significant role in high frequency performance of FEA devices. Masks have been designed and fabricated for the pointed column device structures. A.05 micron gate opening mask has been designed and is being fabricated which will provide approx 1,000,000 tips in a 4x4 mm array and will provide approx. 0.25-0.30 micron gate-to-emitter tip spacing on top of the low capacitance columns. Low capacitance thin film emitter arrays are begin processed for voltage spike protection devices since the small spacings in the thin film devices will induce breakdown at low voltages. Deflection structures and lenses are under consideration for mask set updates. Silicon columns up to 10 microns have been successfully produced. Silicon column arrays have been coated with thick SiO2 and planarized to form circular silicon islands in sea of glass. Processing has begun on the new mask set

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1992
Accession Number
ADA280378

Entities

People

  • Ching-tzong Sune
  • Gary W. Jones

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Amplifiers
  • Capacitance
  • Contracts
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Electron Tubes
  • Emission
  • Emitters
  • Field Emission
  • Films
  • Frequency
  • Materials
  • North Carolina
  • Radio Frequency Amplifiers
  • Technical Information Centers
  • Thin Films
  • Voltage
  • Work Functions

Readers

  • Integrated Circuit Design and Technology.
  • Plasma Physics.
  • Thin Film Deposition Science.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster