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Title: Deposition of field emissions cathodes over large areas

Conference ·
OSTI ID:325142

Field emission cathodes (FECs) with characteristics of cold emission, low voltage operation, high current density and microscopic size meet the requirements for an electron source for use in vacuum microelectronics. Deposition efforts have focused on evaporation techniques, as electron beam, to produce the size and shape of cathode required for efficient operation. After two decades of development, the convention for FEC synthesis involves coating with very high tolerances for thickness uniformity using a planetary substrate fixture and a long source-to-substrate distance. A further reduction in the operating voltage results by increasing the density of emitters through a reduction of cathode size and spacing. In addition, the objective of scaling the substrate size from small to large areas has compounded the manufacturing requirements to a point beyond that which is obtainable through modifications to the conventional FEC deposition process. We have been successful in a new alternative approach to design, assemble and operate a system that enables FEC synthesis over large areas through the control of deposition source divergence and step-and-repeat substrate handling.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-48
OSTI ID:
325142
Report Number(s):
UCRL-JC-126873; CONF-9704240-; ON: DE98050924; TRN: 99:003628
Resource Relation:
Conference: 40. annual technical conference on vacuum coatings and manufacturing technology, New Orleans, LA (United States), 12-17 Apr 1997; Other Information: PBD: 3 Apr 1997
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English