Triodes using nanofabric articles and methods of making the same
First Claim
1. A multi-terminal vacuum field emission device comprising:
- two substrates disposed at a predetermined gap and which define a space therebetween;
spacers positioned between the two substrates to vacuum seal the space formed by the two substrates while maintaining the gap;
a top electrode and a bottom electrode, arranged in proximity to the two substrates, the top electrode comprising an electron emission source;
a gate region of nanotube fabric disposed between the top electrode and the bottom electrode, the nanotube fabric being electrically insulated from the top electrode and the bottom electrode, and a gate terminal in electrical communication with the nanotube fabric;
wherein in response to an electrical stimulus on the gate terminal, the gate region of nanotube fabric induces emission of electrons from the electron emission source to form an electrically conductive pathway between the top and bottom electrodes.
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Abstract
Vacuum microelectronic devices with carbon nanotube films, layers, ribbons and fabrics are provided. The present invention discloses microelectronic vacuum devices including triode structures that include three-terminals (an emitter, a grid and an anode), and also higher-order devices such as tetrodes and pentodes, all of which use carbon nanotubes to form various components of the devices. In certain embodiments, patterned portions of nanotube fabric may be used as grid/gate components, conductive traces, etc. Nanotube fabrics may be suspended or conformally disposed. In certain embodiments, methods for stiffening a nanotube fabric layer are used. Various methods for applying, selectively removing (e.g. etching), suspending, and stiffening vertically- and horizontally-disposed nanotube fabrics are disclosed, as are CMOS-compatible fabrication methods. In certain embodiments, nanotube fabric triodes provide high-speed, small-scale, low-power devices that can be employed in radiation-intensive applications.
89 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A multi-terminal vacuum field emission device comprising:
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two substrates disposed at a predetermined gap and which define a space therebetween; spacers positioned between the two substrates to vacuum seal the space formed by the two substrates while maintaining the gap; a top electrode and a bottom electrode, arranged in proximity to the two substrates, the top electrode comprising an electron emission source; a gate region of nanotube fabric disposed between the top electrode and the bottom electrode, the nanotube fabric being electrically insulated from the top electrode and the bottom electrode, and a gate terminal in electrical communication with the nanotube fabric; wherein in response to an electrical stimulus on the gate terminal, the gate region of nanotube fabric induces emission of electrons from the electron emission source to form an electrically conductive pathway between the top and bottom electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification