Understanding the Failure Mechanisms of Silicon Gated Field Emitters

Rushmita Bhattacharjee, Ranajoy Bhattacharva, Stephen A. Guerrera, Nedeliko Karaulac, Girish Rughoobur, Winston Chern, Akintunde I. Akinwande, Jim Browning

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

Gated field emitter arrays (GFEAs) can fail due to various mechanisms which are not well understood. In this paper, several proposed failure mechanisms are investigated using simulation and experiment. The modelling performed using CST considers an ion bombardment zone to calculate the locations and number of ions that hit the emitter tip apex. As the starting location of the ions moves away from the tip, the fraction hitting the tip apex increases until 5 μ m from the tip and then decreases until only ions born directly above the tip impact. Electrical measurements of arcs show that arcs only occur during forward bias with emission rather than in reverse bias indicating the mechanism is not surface breakdown.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication36th IEEE International Vacuum Nanoelectronics Conference, IVNC 2023
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Pages74-76
Number of pages3
ISBN (Electronic)9798350301434
DOIs
StatePublished - 2023
Event36th IEEE International Vacuum Nanoelectronics Conference, IVNC 2023 - Cambridge, United States
Duration: 10 Jul 202313 Jul 2023

Publication series

Name36th IEEE International Vacuum Nanoelectronics Conference, IVNC 2023

Conference

Conference36th IEEE International Vacuum Nanoelectronics Conference, IVNC 2023
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityCambridge
Period10/07/2313/07/23

Keywords

  • arcing
  • Ion bombardment
  • Silicon GFEAs

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