Abstract: A process produces laminar composite lateral-emitter microelectronic devices especially useful in high-resolution field-emission display arrays. The devices incorporate a thin film laminar composite emitter structure including two or more films composed of materials having different etch rates. The laminar composite emitter consists of two or more ultra-thin layers, etched differentially so that a salient remaining portion of the most etch-resistant layer protrudes beyond the less etch-resistant layers to form a small-radius tip. The most etch-resistant layer is preferably diamond doped with one or more N-type dopants. An emitting edge of the laminar composite emitter is first formed by a directional trench etch. During or after fabrication of a trench portion of the structure, a small amount of supporting upper and/or lower layers is removed by a differential etch, such as a plasma etch. This leaves an ultra thin emitter edge or tip.

Abstract: A lateral-emitter electron field-emission display device structure incorporates a thin-film emitter having an emitting edge in direct contact with and extending into a non-conducting or very high resistivity phosphor, thereby eliminating the gap between the emitter and the phosphor. Such a gap has been a part of all field-emission display devices in the prior art. The ultra-thin-film lateral emitter of the new structure is deposited in a plane parallel to the device's substrate and has an inherently small radius of curvature at its emitting edge. A fabrication process specially adapted to make the new structure includes a directional trench etch, which both defines the emitting edge and provides an opening to receive a non-conducting phosphor. This phosphor covers an anode and is automatically aligned in contact with the emitter edge.

Abstract: A lateral-emitter field emission device has a thin-film emitter cathode 50 which has thickness of not more than several hundred angstroms and has an edge or tip 110 having a small radius of curvature. To form a novel display cell structure, a cathodoluminescent phosphor anode 60 is positioned below the plane of the thin-film lateral-emitter cathode 50, allowing a large portion of the phosphor anode's top surface to emit light in the desired direction. An anode contact layer contacts the phosphor anode 60 from below to form a buried anode contact 90 which does not interfere with light emission. The anode phosphor is precisely spaced apart from the cathode edge or tip and receives electrons emitted by field emission from the edge or tip of the lateral-emitter cathode, when a small bias voltage is applied. The device may be configured as a diode, triode, or tetrode, etc.

Abstract: A lateral-emitter field emission device has a thin-film emitter cathode 50 which has thickness of not more than several hundred angstroms and has an edge or tip 110 having a small radius of curvature. To form a novel display cell structure, a cathodoluminescent phosphor anode 60 is positioned below the plane of the thin-film lateral-emitter cathode 50, allowing a large portion of the phosphor anode's top surface to emit light in the desired direction. An anode contact layer contacts the phosphor anode 60 from below to form a buried anode contact 90 which does not interfere with light emission. The anode phosphor is precisely spaced apart from the cathode edge or tip and receives electrons emitted by field emission from the edge or tip of the lateral-emitter cathode, when a small bias voltage is applied. The device may be configured as a diode, triode, or tetrode, etc.

Abstract: An improved high-frequency field-emission microelectronic device (10) has a substrate (20) and an ultra-thin emitter electrode (30) extending parallel to the substrate and having an electron-emitting lateral edge (110) facing an anode (40) across an emitter-to-anode gap (120). A control electrode (70), having a lateral dimension only a minor fraction of the emitter-to-anode gap width, is disposed parallel to the emitter and spaced apart from the emitter by an insulator (60) of predetermined thickness. A vertical dimension of the control electrode is only a minor fraction of the height of the anode. The control electrode may substantially surround a portion of the anode, spaced from the anode in concentric relationship.

Abstract: A field emission device (10) is made with a lateral emitter (100) substantially parallel to a substrate (20) and with a simplified anode stucture (70). The lateral-emitter field-emission device has a thin-film emitter cathode (100) which has a thickness not exceeding several hundred angstroms and has an emitting blade edge or tip (110) having a small radius of curvature. The anode's top surface is precisely spaced apart from and below the plane of the lateral emitter and receives electrons emitted by field emission from the blade edge or tip of the lateral-emitter cathode, when a suitable bias voltage is applied. A fabrication process is disclosed using process steps (S1-S18) similar to those of semiconductor integrated circuit fabrication to produce the novel devices and their arrays. Various embodiments of the fabrication process allow the use of conductive or insulating substrates (20) and allow fabrication of devices having various functions and complexity.

Abstract: A lateral-emitter electron field-emission display device structure incorporates a thin-film emitter having an emitting edge and extending into in direct contact with a non-conducting or very high resistivity phosphor, thereby eliminating the gap between the emitter and the phosphor. Such a gap has been a part of all field-emission display devices in the prior art. The ultra-thin-film lateral emitter of the new structure is deposited in a plane parallel to the device's substrate and has an inherently small radius of curvature at its emitting edge. A fabrication process specially adapted to make the new structure includes a directional trench etch, which both defines the emitting edge and provides an opening to receive a non-conducting phosphor. This phosphor covers an anode and is automatically aligned in contact with the emitter edge.