Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B, Vol.18, No.2, 914-918, 2000
Field-emission triodes with integrated anodes
A silicon microtriode where the gate and anode are fully integrated along with the cathode tip on the silicon substrate is proposed. The device can operate in two modes: a normally on mode and a normally off mode. In the normally on mode, reported here, the anode is a suspended bimetallic layer of chromium and gold above a sharp silicon tip, formed by the anisotropic etching of silicon in potassium hydroxide solution. The gate, in the same plane as the anode, is formed of the same bimetallic layer and approaches from the sides. The process requires only one mask and is extremely simple. Field emission was found between the anode and the cathode tip and, in three-terminal mode, the device was found to have gate control. The extrapolated gate pinch-off voltages for the two devices measured were -230 and -162 V at an anode voltage of 120 V.