Ultralow Voltage GaN Vacuum Nanodiodes in Air
Abstract
The III-nitride semiconductors have many attractive properties for field-emission vacuum electronics, including high thermal and chemical stability, low electron affinity, and high breakdown fields. In this work, we report top-down fabricated gallium nitride (GaN)-based nanoscale vacuum electron diodes operable in air, with record ultralow turn-on voltages down to ~0.24 V and stable high field-emission currents, tested up to several microamps for single-emitter devices. We leverage a scalable, top-down GaN nanofabrication method leading to damage-free and smooth surfaces. Gap-dependent and pressure-dependent studies provide new insights into the design of future, integrated nanogap vacuum electron devices. The results show promise for a new class of high-performance and robust, on-chip, III-nitride-based vacuum nanoelectronics operable in air or reduced vacuum.
- Authors:
-
[1];
[2];
[2];
[1]
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1769924
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-2021-2006J
Journal ID: ISSN 1530-6984; 694031
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000; NA-0003525
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Nano Letters
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 21; Journal Issue: 5; Journal ID: ISSN 1530-6984
- Publisher:
- American Chemical Society
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY; field emission; vacuum electron; nanogap; GaN; field enhancement
Citation Formats
Sapkota, Keshab R., Leonard, François, Talin, A. Alec, Gunning, Brendan P., Kazanowska, Barbara A., Jones, Kevin S., and Wang, George T. Ultralow Voltage GaN Vacuum Nanodiodes in Air. United States: N. p., 2021.
Web. doi:10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c03959.
Sapkota, Keshab R., Leonard, François, Talin, A. Alec, Gunning, Brendan P., Kazanowska, Barbara A., Jones, Kevin S., & Wang, George T. Ultralow Voltage GaN Vacuum Nanodiodes in Air. United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c03959
Sapkota, Keshab R., Leonard, François, Talin, A. Alec, Gunning, Brendan P., Kazanowska, Barbara A., Jones, Kevin S., and Wang, George T. Tue .
"Ultralow Voltage GaN Vacuum Nanodiodes in Air". United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c03959. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1769924.
@article{osti_1769924,
title = {Ultralow Voltage GaN Vacuum Nanodiodes in Air},
author = {Sapkota, Keshab R. and Leonard, François and Talin, A. Alec and Gunning, Brendan P. and Kazanowska, Barbara A. and Jones, Kevin S. and Wang, George T.},
abstractNote = {The III-nitride semiconductors have many attractive properties for field-emission vacuum electronics, including high thermal and chemical stability, low electron affinity, and high breakdown fields. In this work, we report top-down fabricated gallium nitride (GaN)-based nanoscale vacuum electron diodes operable in air, with record ultralow turn-on voltages down to ~0.24 V and stable high field-emission currents, tested up to several microamps for single-emitter devices. We leverage a scalable, top-down GaN nanofabrication method leading to damage-free and smooth surfaces. Gap-dependent and pressure-dependent studies provide new insights into the design of future, integrated nanogap vacuum electron devices. The results show promise for a new class of high-performance and robust, on-chip, III-nitride-based vacuum nanoelectronics operable in air or reduced vacuum.},
doi = {10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c03959},
journal = {Nano Letters},
number = 5,
volume = 21,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Feb 23 00:00:00 EST 2021},
month = {Tue Feb 23 00:00:00 EST 2021}
}
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