Gated, field-emitter arrays and its potential applications

Summary form only given, as follows. Gated field-emitter arrays (FEAs) is an emerging technology with wide potential applications. Electrons leave the surface of materials under very large electric fields. One can create very large electric fields at a sharp tip or edge (radius of curvature typically less than 200 /spl Aring/) with a low voltage control electrode (called gate or grid) positioned very close to the emitting tips (gap distance typically less than 1 /spl mu/m). The gate voltage for various applications is in the range of 15-200 V. FEAs come in a variety of configurations (e.g. points, wedges and thin film edges) and are fabricated by a wide variety of methods. This technology can be applied to flat-panel displays. The field-emitter display has all the positive attributes of the color cathode-ray tube without its large volume and great weight. In the US, the field-emitter displays are still in the developmental stages by many companies. A few examples will be discussed. Other existing applications are (i) micro-electronic microwave amplifiers, (ii) prebunched electron source to improve the compactness and efficiency of various existing rf generators, (iii) compact far infrared sources, (iv) electron holography, etc. FEA is an emerging technology whose potentials need to be developed.