Microelectronic vacuum field emission device

Claim 2

A planar microelectronic vacuum tetrode, comprising: an insulating substrate having a substantially flat surface; an anode electrode deposited on a first part of the surface of the substrate; a shield electrode deposited on a second part of the surface of the substrate, the shield electrode able to substantially raise the anode resistance of the tetrode; a gate electrode deposited on a third part of the surface of the substrate; a dielectric deposited on a fourth part of the surface of the substrate; a cathode electrode deposited on the surface of the dielectric, the cathode electrode comprising at least one electron emission tip that cantilevers out beyond the dielectric and overlooks the gate electrode, said electron emission tip such that a flow of electrons can pass out and over the gate and shield electrodes on the way to the anode electrode, said cathode tip having a radii of curvature of less than 1,000 angstroms.

Claim 3

A microelectronic vacuum device, having at least one triode that comprises: a planar insulating substrate having at least a portion of one surface maintained in a vacuum during operation of the triode; an anode electrode deposited on a first part of said surface; a gate electrode deposited on a second part of said surface and proximate to the anode electrode, the gate electrode able to control a flow of electrons in the vacuum to the anode electrode; a dielectric deposited on a third part of said surface and overlapping a part of the gate electrode; and a cathode electrode deposited on the surface of the dielectric and having at least one cathode tip which cantilevers out beyond the dielectric and overlooks the gate electrode, said cathode tip having a sharpened end such that flow of electrons in the vacuum is promoted thereby.

Claim 4

A microelectronic vacuum device, having at least one triode that comprises: a planar insulating substrate having at least a portion of one surface maintained in a vacuum during operation of the triode; an anode electrode deposited on a first part of said surface; a gate electrode deposited on a second part of said surface and proximate to the anode electrode, the gate electrode able to control a flow of electrons in the vacuum to the anode electrode; a dielectric deposited on a third part of said surface and overlapping a part of the gate electrode; and a cathode electrode deposited on the surface of the dielectric and having at least one cathode tip which cantilevers out beyond the dielectric and overlooks the gate electrode, said cathode tip having a sharpened end such that flow of electrons in the vacuum is promoted thereby.

Claim 5

A microelectronic vacuum device, having at least one triode that comprises: first and second planar insulating substrates each respectively having at least a portion of one surface that is maintained in a vacuum common to both during the operation of the device; means to maintain said vacuum; an anode electrode deposited on a first part of said surface belonging to the first substrate; a gate electrode deposited on a second part of said surface belonging to the first substrate and proximate to the anode electrode, the gate electrode able to control a flow of electrons in the vacuum to the anode electrode; a dielectric deposited on a third part of said surface belonging to the first substrate and overlapping a part of the gate electrode; a cathode electrode deposited on the surface of the dielectric such that at least one cathode tip cantilevers out beyond the dielectric and overlooks the gate electrode, said cathode tip having a sharpened end such that flow of electrons is promoted thereby and such that the flow of electrons can pass directly over the gate electrode in a straight-line path to the anode electrode.

Claim 6

A microelectronic vacuum device, having at least one triode that comprises: first and second planar insulating substrates each respectively having at least a portion of one surface that is maintained in a vacuum common to both during the operation of the device; means to maintain said vacuum; an anode electrode deposited on a first part of said surface belonging to the first substrate; a gate electrode deposited on a second part of said surface belonging to the first substrate and proximate to the anode electrode, the gate electrode able to control a flow of electrons in the vacuum to the anode electrode; a dielectric deposited on a third part of said surface belonging to the first substrate and overlapping a part of the gate electrode; a cathode electrode deposited on the surface of the dielectric such that at least one cathode tip cantilevers out beyond the dielectric and overlooks the gate electrode, said cathode tip having a sharpened end such that flow of electrons is promoted thereby and such that the flow of electrons can pass directly over the gate electrode in a straight-line path to the anode electrode.

Claim 7

The device of claim 3, further comprising: means to getter gas from said vacuum after a sealing of the means to maintain said vacuum.

Claim 8

A microelectronic vacuum device, having at least one triode that comprises: a planar insulating substrate with at least a portion of a substrate surface maintained in a vacuum during operation of the triode; a first dielectric deposited on a first part of said substrate surface; an anode electrode deposited on the surface of the first dielectric such that the anode electrode is elevated from the substrate; a gate electrode deposited on a second part of said substrate surface and proximate to the anode electrode, the gate electrode able to control a flow of electrons in said vacuum that flow to the anode electrode; a second dielectric deposited on a third part of said substrate surface; and a cathode electrode deposited on the surface of the second dielectric such that the cathode electrode is elevated from the substrate and such that the flow of electrons from the cathode tips can pass directly over the gate electrode in a straight-line path to the anode electrode, the cathode electrode having at least one cathode tip which cantilevers out beyond the second dielectric and which overlooks the gate electrode, said cathode tip having a sharpened end that promotes said electron emission.

Claim 9

A microelectronic vacuum device, having at least one triode that comprises: a planar insulating substrate with at least a portion of a substrate surface maintained in a vacuum during operation of the triode; a first dielectric deposited on a first part of said substrate surface; an anode electrode deposited on the surface of the first dielectric such that the anode electrode is elevated from the substrate; a gate electrode deposited on a second part of said substrate surface and proximate to the anode electrode, the gate electrode able to control a flow of electrons in said vacuum that flow to the anode electrode; a second dielectric deposited on a third part of said substrate surface; and a cathode electrode deposited on the surface of the second dielectric such that the cathode electrode is elevated from the substrate and such that the flow of electrons from the cathode tips can pass directly over the gate electrode in a straight-line path to the anode electrode, the cathode electrode having at least one cathode tip which cantilevers out beyond the second dielectric and which overlooks the gate electrode, said cathode tip having a sharpened end that promotes said electron emission.

Claim 10

A microelectronic vacuum device, having at least one triode that comprises: an insulating substrate with at least a portion of one of its surfaces maintained in a vacuum during operation of the triode; a first dielectric deposited on a first part of said substrate surface; an anode electrode deposited on the surface of the first dielectric such that the anode electrode is elevated from the substrate; a depression of said substrate surface, the depression having a floor and at least one incline, a gate electrode deposited on a part of said floor and incline within the depression, the gate electrode able to control a flow of electrons through said vacuum to the anode electrode; a second dielectric deposited on a second part of said substrate surface such that the depression is between the first and second parts of said substrate surface; and a cathode electrode deposited on the surface of the second dielectric such that the cathode electrode is elevated from the substrate so that the flow of electrons from the cathode tips can pass directly over the gate electrode in a straight-line path to the anode electrode, the cathode electrode having at least one cathode tip that cantilevers out beyond the second dielectric and overlooks the gate electrode, said cathode tip having a sharpened end that promotes said electron emission.

Claim 11

A microelectronic vacuum device, having at least one triode that comprises: an insulating substrate with at least a portion of one of its surfaces maintained in a vacuum during operation of the triode; a first dielectric deposited on a first part of said substrate surface; an anode electrode deposited on the surface of the first dielectric such that the anode electrode is elevated from the substrate; a depression of said substrate surface, the depression having a floor and at least one incline, a gate electrode deposited on a part of said floor and incline within the depression, the gate electrode able to control a flow of electrons through said vacuum to the anode electrode; a second dielectric deposited on a second part of said substrate surface such that the depression is between the first and second parts of said substrate surface; and a cathode electrode deposited on the surface of the second dielectric such that the cathode electrode is elevated from the substrate so that the flow of electrons from the cathode tips can pass directly over the gate electrode in a straight-line path to the anode electrode, the cathode electrode having at least one cathode tip that cantilevers out beyond the second dielectric and overlooks the gate electrode, said cathode tip having a sharpened end that promotes said electron emission.

Claim 12

The device of claim 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, wherein: the gate electrode has an edge complementary in shape to an adjacent edge of the cathode electrode and its tips.

Claim 13

The device of claim 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, wherein: the cathode electrode has at least three cathode tips spaced at approximately a 20 micrometers pitch.

Claim 14

The device of claim 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, wherein: the cathode tips have a radii of curvature of about 800 Å.

Claim 15

The device of claim 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, wherein: the gate electrode and cathode tips are separated by a distance of approximately 5,000 Å; the gate electrode and anode electrode are separated by a distance of approximately five micrometers; and the distance between cathode tips and anode electrode is approximately twelve micrometers.

Claim 16

The device of claim 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, wherein: the electrons emitted from cathode tips have a clear path through a vacuum to the anode electrode such that substantially all the electrons leaving the cathode electrode can be collected by the anode electrode.

Claim 17

A planar microelectronic field emission device, comprising: a) a non-planar insulating substrate said substrate having level raised plateau regions and depressed valley regions; b) a first insulating island disposed on a first plateau region of said substrate, and a laterally opposed, second insulating island disposed on a second plateau region of said substrate; c) a cathode electrode disposed on said first insulating island and having cathode tips that are substantially parallel to said level plateau regions and cantilever out beyond an edge of said first plateau region; d) an anode electrode disposed on said second insulating island, said anode electrode being substantially co-planar with said cathode electrode; and f) a gate electrode disposed on said valley region of said substrate, said gate electrode having a portion which is inclined upwardly toward said cathode electrode such that said gate electrode is operable to control an electron emission from said cathode tips .

Claim 18

A planar microelectronic field emission device, comprising: a) a non-planar insulating substrate said substrate having level raised plateau regions and depressed valley regions; b) a first insulating island disposed on a first plateau region of said substrate, and a laterally opposed, second insulating island disposed on a second plateau region of said substrate; c) a cathode electrode disposed on said first insulating island and having cathode tips that are substantially parallel to said level plateau regions and cantilever out beyond an edge of said first plateau region; d) an anode electrode disposed on said second insulating island, said anode electrode being substantially co-planar with said cathode electrode; and f) a gate electrode disposed on said valley region of said substrate, said gate electrode having a portion which is inclined upwardly toward said cathode electrode such that said gate electrode is operable to control an electron emission from said cathode tips .

Claim 19

The device of claim 12, wherein said substrate comprises Corning 7059 glass.

Claim 20

The device of claim 12, wherein said cathode, said gate and said anode each comprise molybdenum.

Claim 21

The device of claim 12, wherein said insulators comprise an oxide of silicon.