DocumentCode :
2528550
Title :
A progress report on the Livermore Miniature Vacuum Tube Project
Author :
Orvis, W.J. ; Ciarlo, D.R. ; McConaghy, C.F. ; Yee, J.H. ; Hee, E. ; Hunt, C. ; Trujillo, J.
Author_Institution :
Lawrence Livermore Nat. Lab., CA, USA
fYear :
1989
fDate :
3-6 Dec. 1989
Firstpage :
529
Lastpage :
531
Abstract :
The design and building of micron-sized vacuum diodes and triodes using the sacrificial layer process is discussed. The devices use silicon field emitters etched into the surface of a silicon wafer. The field emitters are then buried in layers of glass and conductive polysilicon to produce the grid and anode. The last step is to remove the glass layers, leaving the free-standing anode and grid with 1-2- mu m separations. Vacuum microelectronics are expected to be hard to more than 10/sup 17/ neutrons/cm/sup 2/ and 10/sup 8/ rad(Si) of gammas without sustaining permanent damage. This is three to four orders of magnitude greater than the radiation levels that comparable silicon devices can withstand. Upset is expected to be on the order of 10/sup 11/ rad(Si)/s, compared to 10/sup 8/ rad(Si)/s for silicon devices. Vacuum microelectronics should also be able to withstand in excess of 775 K, compared to a maximum of 650 K for the best silicon devices. Current work involves enhancing the sharpness of the field emitters, so that they can operate at lower voltages. Recent application of an oxidation sharpening method has created tips with a radius of curvature on the tip of less than 10 AA.<>
Keywords :
diodes; electron field emission; electron tube manufacture; elemental semiconductors; gamma-ray effects; neutron effects; radiation hardening (electronics); silicon; triodes; vacuum microelectronics; vacuum tubes; Livermore Miniature Vacuum Tube Project; Si; field emission; field emitter sharpness; field emitters; free-standing anode; gamma radiation hardness; grid; micron-sized vacuum diodes; micron-sized vacuum triodes; miniature vacuum tube; neutron irradiation; oxidation sharpening method; radiation levels; radius of curvature; sacrificial layer process; vacuum microelectronics; Anodes; Buildings; Diodes; Electron tubes; Etching; Glass; Microelectronics; Neutrons; Silicon devices; Voltage;
fLanguage :
English
Publisher :
ieee
Conference_Titel :
Electron Devices Meeting, 1989. IEDM '89. Technical Digest., International
Conference_Location :
Washington, DC, USA
ISSN :
0163-1918
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-0817-4
Type :
conf
DOI :
10.1109/IEDM.1989.74337
Filename :
74337
Link To Document :
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