US5552613A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electron device
Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd
•
Filing: 1994-09-22
•
Granted: 1996-09-03
•
Expires: 2014-09-22
Abstract
Abstract An electron device of the present invention comprises an i-type diamond layer formed on a substrate, and an n-type diamond layer formed on the i-type diamond layer and having a first surface region formed flatly and a second surface region containing an emitter portion, which are set in a vacuum container, in which the emitter portion formed of the n-type diamond has a bottom area 10 or less μm square and projects relative to the first surface region. In the n-type diamond layer, a difference is fine between the conduction band and the vacuum level. Also, since the n-type diamond layer is doped with an n-type dopant in a high concentration, metal conduction is dominant as conduction of electrons. Therefore, setting the temperature of the substrate at a predetermined temperature and generating an electric field near the surface of the emitter portion, electrons are emitted with a high efficiency from the tip portion of the emitter portion into the vacuum. Even though the emitter portion does not have a tip portion formed in a very fine shape, electrons can readily be taken out into the vacuum by the field emission with relatively small field strength. Consequently, the emission current and the current gain increase and the current density in the emitter portion decreases, thus increasing the withstand current or withstand voltage.
Inventors
- 👤 Yoshiki Nishibayashi
- 👤 Tadashi Tomikawa
- 👤 Shin-ichi Shikata
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 03:22
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J1/00; H01J1/02; H01J1/30; H01J1/304; H01J1/3042; H01J2201/00; H01J2201/30; H01J2201/304; H01J2201/30446; H01J2201/30453; H01J2201/30457
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
86 words
An electron device comprising: an i-type diamond layer formed on a substrate; and an n-type diamond layer formed on said i-type diamond layer and having a first surface region and a second surface region; which are set in a vacuum container; wherein said first surface region is flatly formed and an emitter portion is formed in said second surface region, said emitter portion having a bottom area 10 or less μm square, formed of said n-type diamond layer, and projecting relative to said first surface region.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
86 words
An electron device comprising: an i-type diamond layer formed on a substrate; and an n-type diamond layer formed on said i-type diamond layer and having a first surface region and a second surface region; which are set in a vacuum container; wherein said first surface region is flatly formed and an emitter portion is formed in said second surface region, said emitter portion having a bottom area 10 or less μm square, formed of said n-type diamond layer, and projecting relative to said first surface region.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
An electron device according to claim 1, wherein an insulating layer and an electrode layer are successively layered further in said first surface region.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
An electron device according to claim 1, wherein said n-type diamond layer has a plurality of said second surface regions and a plurality of said emitter portions are formed in a two-dimensional array in said plurality of second surface regions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
An electron device according to claim 3, wherein said plurality of emitter portions are formed of at least two said n-type diamond layers arranged as separate from each other.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
An electron device according to claim 3, wherein said plurality of emitter portions are formed of said n-type diamond layer arranged in unity.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
An electron device according to claim 1, wherein said emitter portion is formed to have a height being 1/10 or more of a minimum width in said second surface region with respect to said first surface region.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
An electron device according to claim 1, wherein an n-type dopant in said n-type diamond layer is nitrogen.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
An electron device according to claim 7, wherein a dopant concentration of nitrogen in said n-type diamond layer is not less than 1×10 19 cm -3 .
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
An electron device according to claim 7, wherein a dopant concentration of nitrogen in said n-type diamond layer is greater than a dopant concentration of boron and 100 or less times the dopant concentration of boron.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
An electron device according to claim 7, wherein a dopant concentration of nitrogen in said n-type diamond layer is greater than a dopant concentration of boron and 10 or less times the dopant concentration of boron.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
113 words
An electron device comprising: an i-type substrate formed to have a first surface region and a second surface region; an i-type diamond layer formed in said second surface region; an n-type diamond layer formed on the i-type diamond layer; and a wiring layer formed in contact with said n-type diamond layer in said first surface region; which are set in a vacuum container; wherein said first surface region is flatly formed and an emitter portion is formed in said second surface region, said emitter portion having a bottom area 10 or less μm square, formed of said i-type diamond layer and said n-type diamond layer, and projecting relative to said first surface region.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
113 words
An electron device comprising: an i-type substrate formed to have a first surface region and a second surface region; an i-type diamond layer formed in said second surface region; an n-type diamond layer formed on the i-type diamond layer; and a wiring layer formed in contact with said n-type diamond layer in said first surface region; which are set in a vacuum container; wherein said first surface region is flatly formed and an emitter portion is formed in said second surface region, said emitter portion having a bottom area 10 or less μm square, formed of said i-type diamond layer and said n-type diamond layer, and projecting relative to said first surface region.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
An electron device according to claim 11, wherein said i-type diamond layer is further formed in said first surface region so as to have a flat surface.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
An electron device according to claim 11, wherein an insulating layer and an electrode layer are successively layered further in said first surface region.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
40 words
An electron device according to claim 11, wherein said n-type diamond layer has a plurality of said second surface regions and a plurality of said emitter portions are formed in a two-dimensional array in said plurality of second surface regions.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
An electron device according to claim 14, wherein said plurality of emitter portions are formed in contact with at least two said wiring layers, respectively, arranged as separate from each other.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
An electron device according to claim 14, wherein said plurality of emitter portions are formed in contact with said wiring layer arranged in unity.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
An electron device according to claim 11, wherein said emitter portion is formed to have a height being 1/10 or more of a minimum width in said second surface region with respect to said first surface region.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
An electron device according to claim 11, wherein an n-type dopant in said n-type diamond layer is nitrogen.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
An electron device according to claim 18, wherein a dopant concentration of nitrogen in said n-type diamond layer is not less than 1×10 19 cm -3 .
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
36 words
An electron device according to claim 18, wherein a dopant concentration of nitrogen in said n-type diamond layer is greater than a dopant concentration of boron and 100 or less times the dopant concentration of boron.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
36 words
An electron device according to claim 18, wherein a dopant concentration of nitrogen in said n-type diamond layer is greater than a dopant concentration of boron and 10 or less times the dopant concentration of boron.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
104 words
An electron device comprising: an i-type diamond layer formed on a substrate; and at least one n-type diamond layer formed on said i-type diamond layer and having a first surface region and a plurality of second surface regions; which are set in a vacuum container; wherein said first surface region is flatly formed and a plurality of emitter portions are formed in said plurality of second surface regions, said emitter portions each having a bottom area 10 or less μm square and formed of said n-type diamond layer, said emitter portions projecting relative to said first surface region and arranged in a two-dimensional array.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
104 words
An electron device comprising: an i-type diamond layer formed on a substrate; and at least one n-type diamond layer formed on said i-type diamond layer and having a first surface region and a plurality of second surface regions; which are set in a vacuum container; wherein said first surface region is flatly formed and a plurality of emitter portions are formed in said plurality of second surface regions, said emitter portions each having a bottom area 10 or less μm square and formed of said n-type diamond layer, said emitter portions projecting relative to said first surface region and arranged in a two-dimensional array.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
24 words
An electron device according to claim 22, wherein an insulating layer and an electrode layer are successively layered further in said first surface region.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
29 words
An electron device according to claim 22, wherein said plurality of emitter portions are formed of at least two said n-type diamond layers arranged as separate from each other.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
23 words
An electron device according to claim 22, wherein said plurality of emitter portions are formed of said n-type diamond layer arranged in unity.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
37 words
An electron device according to claim 22, wherein said emitter portions are formed to have a height being 1/10 or more of a minimum width in said second surface region with respect to said first surface region.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
135 words
An electron device comprising: an i-type substrate formed to have a first surface region and a plurality of second surface regions; a plurality of i-type diamond layers formed in said plurality of respective second surface regions; a plurality of n-type diamond layers formed on the plurality of respective i-type diamond layers; and at least one wiring layer formed in contact with said n-type diamond layers in said first surface region; which are set in a vacuum container; wherein said first surface region is flatly formed and a plurality of emitter portions are formed in said plurality of second surface regions, said emitter portions each having a bottom area 10 or less μm square and formed of said i-type diamond layers and said n-type diamond layers, said emitter portions projecting relative to said first surface region.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
135 words
An electron device comprising: an i-type substrate formed to have a first surface region and a plurality of second surface regions; a plurality of i-type diamond layers formed in said plurality of respective second surface regions; a plurality of n-type diamond layers formed on the plurality of respective i-type diamond layers; and at least one wiring layer formed in contact with said n-type diamond layers in said first surface region; which are set in a vacuum container; wherein said first surface region is flatly formed and a plurality of emitter portions are formed in said plurality of second surface regions, said emitter portions each having a bottom area 10 or less μm square and formed of said i-type diamond layers and said n-type diamond layers, said emitter portions projecting relative to said first surface region.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
27 words
An electron device according to claim 27, wherein said i-type diamond layers are further formed in said first surface region so as to have a flat surface.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
24 words
An electron device according to claim 27, wherein an insulating layer and an electrode layer are successively layered further in said first surface region.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
31 words
An electron device according to claim 27, wherein said plurality of emitter portions are formed in contact with at least two said wiring layers, respectively, arranged as separate from each other.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
24 words
An electron device according to claim 27, wherein said plurality of emitter portions are formed in contact with said wiring layer arranged in unity.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
37 words
An electron device according to claim 27, wherein said emitter portions are formed to have a height being 1/10 or more of a minimum width in said second surface region with respect to said first surface region.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-09-03 | 2000-03-04 | 2000-09-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-09-03 | 2004-03-04 | 2004-09-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-09-03 | 2008-03-04 | 2008-09-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |