| Solid state microelectronics is the dominate technology in the present day electronics industry. However, as the physical dimensions decrease, it is becoming apparent that solid state devices have inherent performance limitations, such as finite saturation drift velocity, high temperature degradation, and failure in extreme radiation environments. To address these problems a relatively new technology, called vacuum microelectronics, has emerged. Vacuum microelectronics encompasses the fabrication, characterization, and application of various devices whose operation is based on vacuum ballistic transport of field emitted electrons from microminiature electrodes.;The field of vacuum microelectronics has advanced at a rapid rate over the past decade; however, there remain key issues to be addressed prior to any widespread commercialization of this technology. Field emission arrays (FEAs) must operate at low voltages and generate high current densities with uniform, long-lifetime operation. The use of porous silicon cathodes in vacuum microelectronic applications is a promising alternative to existing silicon and metal field emitters. Surface modification of bulk crystalline silicon by electrochemical anodization in a concentrated hydrofluoric acid (HF) solution has been shown to produce large submicroscopic field enhancement and large emission area.;The primary focus of this research was the development of novel gated FEAs based on porous silicon microtip cathodes. Device design consisted of both experimental and theoretical efforts. Employing semiconductor process technology, the successful fabrication of an operational self-aligned gated porous silicon microtip FEA was demonstrated. Small arrays exhibited Fowler-Nordheim characteristics over several decades of anode current. A peak stable current of approximately 60 to 70 nA per tip was obtained at less than 125 V. A correlation of anodization conditions with emission properties has been found, and a simple emission model was presented. With advanced processing tools common in commercial wafer fabrication facilities both yield and performance could be drastically improved. There is, however, a need for further investigation of the field emission properties of porous silicon, primarily with respect to temporal stability. |
