Solid state emitting device and method of producing the same

Abstract

Abstract CHARGE CARRIERS ARE EMITTED FROM THE SURFACE OF A HETEROJUNCTION REGION WHICH IS FORMED WITHIN THE FILM-LIKE BODY OF A SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIAL. THE EMITTING REGION IS DEFINED BY AN INTERFACE WHICH IS GENERALLY SEMICIRCULAR IN CROSS-SECTION OR HAS AT LEAST A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION NEITHER PARA LLEL NOR PERPENDICULAR TO THE SURFACE OF THE FILM-LIKE BODY. THE THICKNESS OF THE FILM-LIKE BODY IS SOMEWHAT GREATER THAN THE DEPTH OF THE EMITTING REGION SO THAT CONTINUOUS UNINTERRUPTED AND GENERALLY SEMI-CYLINDRICAL INNER AND OUTER DEPLETION REGIONS EXIST ADJACENT THE INTERFACE. WHEN A VOLTAGE IN APPLIED ACROSS THE FILM-LIKE BODY AND HENCE ACROSS THE EMITTING REGION, THE DEPLETION REGIONS DISTORT IN A PARTICULAR FASHION AND PRODUCE AN ELECTRIC FIELD WITHIN THE EMITTING REGION. ELECTRONS CROSSING THE INTERFACE ARE "HEATED BY THIS FIELD TO A DEGREE PREMITTING ELECTRON EMISSION FROM THE SURFACE OF THE EMITTING REGION. THE ELECTRON EMISSION MAY BE VARIED BY ALTERING THE VOLTAGE APPLIED ACROSS THE JUNCTION.

Inventors

• 👤 J Mize

Bibliographic Details