Fully integrated and encapsulated micro-fabricated vacuum diode and method of manufacturing same
| DWPI Title: Encapsulated micro diode e.g. fully integrated and encapsulated micro-fabricated cold cathode field emission vacuum diode, has conformal anode arranged above cathode of diode, where anode conforms to shape of pyramidal tip |
| Abstract: Disclosed is an encapsulated micro-diode and a method for producing same. The method comprises forming a plurality columns in the substrate with a respective tip disposed at a first end of the column, the tip defining a cathode of the diode; disposing a sacrificial oxide layer on the substrate, plurality of columns and respective tips; forming respective trenches in the sacrificial oxide layer around the columns; forming an opening in the sacrificial oxide layer to expose a portion of the tips; depositing a conductive material in of the opening and on a surface of the substrate to form an anode of the diode; and removing the sacrificial oxide layer. |
| Use: Encapsulated micro diode i.e. fully integrated and encapsulated micro-fabricated cold cathode field emission vacuum diode. |
| Advantage: The diode uses micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) processing technique to fabricate a field emission vacuum diode with improved effects, and provides a smooth rounded anode to minimize field compression. The diode ensures conducted numerical simulation to indicate that the resulting conformal shape of the anode over the cathode enhances an electric field at the cathode as compared to a simple flat anode. The diode reduces turn-on voltage and increases tunneling current at given operating voltage due to increased field. |
| Novelty: The diode has columnar portions formed from a substrate with a pyramidal tip at a first end forming a cathode of the diode. An insulation layer is formed between adjacent columnar portions, and overlies the columnar portion and includes an aperture in a region overlying respective the tips. A conformal anode (124) is arranged above the cathode. The anode conforms to a shape of the pyramidal tip. An encapsulation metal is arranged on a surface of the insulation layer. The tip is clad with tungsten. The conformal anode is formed from tungsten. |
| Filed: 7/24/2014 |
| Application Number: US14340012A |
| Tech ID: SD 11754.1 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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