Patent · US Expired

Field emission devices

US5228877A · kind A · utility

48Cited by
4References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 23, 1992
Grant dateJul 20, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 23, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01J9/025
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In a method of forming a micron-size field emitter, an array of conductive tips is formed on a substrate. A layer of dielectric material is formed on the substrate to a thickness substantially equal to the height of the tips, but forming a protuberance over each tip. A conductive grid layer is deposited over the dielectric layer, forming corresponding protuberances, followed by a layer of resist material which is of sufficiently low viscosity so that it flows off the grid layer at the protuberances leaving the protuberances substantially unprotected. The grid and dielectric layers in the protuberances are then etched away to reveal the tips through the resulting apertures in the grid and dielectric layers. The apertures are thereby automatically aligned with the tips without the need for lithographic processes.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.