Double-gate field emitters with planar carbon-nanoparticle cathodes: simulation studies

Simulation studies for the field electron emission from double-gate emitters with planar cathodes were carried out for various double gate geometries and bias configurations using the finite-element method, Fowler-Nordheim´s field emission equation, and the equation of motion. Simulation results clearly demonstrated that simply grounding the second gate adjacent to the grounded cathode was sufficient for the substantial reduction of the main gate current. However, it was found that the details of the double gate geometries, such as lateral dimension of the second gate could influence the electron emission a great deal. A comparison between the experimentally measured emission characteristics and the simulation results was presented for a double gate emitter with a planar carbon-nanoparticle cathode.