Abstract: A cold cathode field emission device is described. A key feature of its design is that groups of microtips share a single conductive disk with a reliable ballast resistor being interposed between each of these conductive disks and the cathode conductor. Additionally, a resistor, rather than a conductor, is used to connect the gate conductive disk to the gate electrode. The latter is arranged so as not to overlap with the cathode electrode. The cathode and gate conductive disks ensure that the ballast resistance associated with each microtip is essentially the same.

Abstract: A cold cathode field emission device is described. A key feature of its design is that groups of microtips share a single conductive disk with a reliable ballast resistor being interposed between each of these conductive disks and the cathode conductor. Additionally, a resistor, rather than a conductor, is used to connect the gate conductive disk to the gate electrode. The latter is arranged so as not to overlap with the cathode electrode. The cathode and gate conductive disks ensure that the ballast resistance asociated with each microtip is essentially the same.

Abstract: A new method for forming an array of high aspect ratio field emitter for flat panel Field Emission Displays (FEDs) was accomplished. The method involves forming on an insulated substrate an array of parallel cathodes and then depositing a dielectric layer and forming a array of parallel gate electrodes essentially orthogonal to the array of cathode electrodes. Opening are then made in the upper gate electrodes and dielectric layer over the lower cathode electrodes. The field emitters with high aspect-ratios are then formed on the cathode by depositing an emitter material, such as molybdenum, in the opening while heating the substrate to high temperatures. The emitter material is removed elsewhere on the substrate by utilizing a release layer and thereby completing the gated field emitter. This high temperature method results in high aspect-ratio gated emitters that allow the inter-electrode dielectric layer to be increased and thereby improving the circuit performance.