Development of a vacuum packaged nanodiamond lateral field emission device

Vacuum microelectronic devices involving lateral-type emitters offer reduced complexity for device integration and vacuum packaging. In addition, their small interelectrode separation feature results in low voltage device operation, essential for practical microelectronic applications. Utilizing the properties of CVD nanocrystalline diamond, we have demonstrated a lateral field emission device capable of functioning efficiently at both low and high temperatures (200 degC), with an inherent "hardness" to radiation exposure as high as 15 Mrad(SiO₂) total dose (Kang, et.al., 2007). The development of a vacuum package is of practical relevance to field emission devices. We report the development of the first diamond lateral field emitter device operating in a vacuum package.