Fabrication and operation of silicon field emission cathode arrays

The authors report on the operation and fabrication of a novel field emission structure based on an array of silicon-strip microcathodes. Using high-resolution electron-beam lithography, several highly selective anisotropic reactive ion etches, and high-temperature lateral thermal oxidation, strip-type cathodes have been fabricated. The cathode strip diameters range from 20 nm to 30 nm. The self-aligned anode is cantilevered typically less than 500 nm above the cathode. Arrays of 28, 25- mu m-long strips have been tested. The I-V characteristics obey the Fowler-Nordheim theory. Array currents are detected at 4 V and reach a maximum value of 274.3 mu A at 15.5 V. The maximum array current density is 2.0 A/cm/sup 2/. The measured diode conductance is 64.3 mu S.<>