Transverse energy distribution analysis in a field emission element with an insulator funnel

Journal of Vacuum Science &Amp; Technology B, Nanotechnology and Microelectronics: Materials, Processing, Measurement, and Phen

2013

Enhanced output current density of an active-matrix high-efficiency electron emission device array with 13.75 μ m pixels Electron hop funnels provide a method to integrate field emission arrays into microwave vacuum electron devices, to protect the arrays, and to provide a method to study the secondary electron characteristics of dielectrics. A hop funnel is a dielectric material with an electrode, known as the hop electrode, placed around the narrow end (exit) of the funnel to control the current transmitted through the device. Current is transmitted through the funnel via electron-hopping transport. This work investigates a hysteresis observed in the current-voltage characteristic of the device. The experimental results showing the observed hysteresis will be presented. This work will demonstrate that charging on the bottom of the hop funnel is not the fundamental cause of the hysteresis.

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hysteresis in experimental I–V curves of electron hop funnels

Rowe

Pearlman

Journal of Vacuum Science &Amp; Technology B, Nanotechnology and Microelectronics: Materials, Processing, Measurement, and Phen

2013

Electron-Hop-Funnel Measurements and Comparison With the Lorentz-2E Simulation

Lester

IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci.

Matthews

2011

Abstract-Electron hop funnels have been fabricated using a Low Temperature Co-Fired Ceramic (LTCC). Measurements of the hop funnel I-V curve and electron energy distribution have been made using gated field emitters as the electron source. The charged particle simulation Lorentz 2E has been used to model the hop funnel charging and to predict the I-V and energy characteristics. The results of this comparison indicate that the simulation can be used to design hop funnel structures for use in various applications.

Simulation of Electron Hop Funnel Hysteresis

Pearlman

Rowe

IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci.

2013

Insulating funnels, called electron hop funnels, use secondary electron emission and an electric field created by an electrode to transport current through the device. The surface charge along the funnel wall self-adjusts to get unity-gain transmission. Electron hop funnels allow increased control over the spatial and energy uniformity of the transmitted beam from a field emitter array. Measurements performed on the relationship between transmission through the device and the electrode voltage has shown hysteresis. To better understand the origin of the hysteresis, simulations have been performed using the particle trajectory code Lorentz 2E. The simulations reveal two very important mechanisms that define the transmission through the funnel. The simulations also show that hysteresis is a fundamental characteristic of hop funnels