In-situ vacuum-sealed lateral FEAs with low turn-on voltage and high transconductance

We have fabricated a new lateral field emitter array, in-situ vacuum-sealed , which exhibits a low turn-on voltage and a high transconductance value wi thout any additional vacuum sealing process. The vacuum-sealed lateral FEA( VLFEA) is encapsulated during the fabrication process, so that field emissi on characteristics can be measured without any additional vacuum environmen ts. Experimental current-voltage (I-V) characteristics show that the anode current is field emission current obeying the linearity of the Fowler-Nordh eim (F-N) plot. The experimental turn-on voltage of about 9 V is in good ag reement with the extracted one from the F-N plot. In order to verify the in tegrity of the vacuum sealed micro-cavity, we have measured the anode curre nt of the VLFEA both in a high vacuum chamber and in an atmospheric environ ment and found that the structure is well sealed. The anode currents as a f unction of gate voltage of Mo-sealed VLFEA are analyzed and transconductanc e is extracted, The experimental res;lts show that the VLFEA has superior f ield emission characteristics, such as low turn-on voltage and high transco nductance, and does not require any additional troublesome vacuum sealing.