Vacuum field-effect transistor with a deep submicron channel fabricated by electro-forming. (June 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Xiao; Shen, Zhihua; Wu, Shengli; Zhang, Jintao
• Is Part Of: Solid-state electronics. Volume 132(2017)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 5
• Publication Date: 2017-06
• Subjects: Vacuum field-effect transistor -- Surface conduction electron emitter -- Deep submicron scale channel -- Electro-forming; Semiconductors -- Periodicals; Semiconducteurs -- Périodiques; 621.38152
• DOI: 10.1016/j.sse.2017.03.002
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0038-1101

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Highlights: Vacuum field-effect transistor (VFET) with a new structure is proposed. The new VFET structure has a deep submicron vacuum channel. The VFET was fabricated by surface conduction electron emitter fabrication process. The deep submicron vacuum channel was achieved by using electro-forming process. The fabricated device demonstrates a clear triode behavior of the gate modulation. Abstract: Vacuum field-effect transistors (VFETs) with channel lengths down to 500 nm (i.e., the deep submicron scale) were fabricated with the mature technology of the surface conduction electron emitter fabrication process in our former experiments. The vacuum channel of this new VFET was generated by using the electro-forming process. During electro-forming, the joule heat cracks the conductive film and then generates the submicron scale gap that serves as the vacuum channel. The gap separates the conductive film into two plane-to-plane electrodes, which serve as a source (cathode) electrode and a drain (anode) electrode of the VFET, respectively. Experimental results reveal that the fabricated device demonstrates a clear triode behavior of the gate modulation. Fowler-Nordheim theory was used to analyze the electron emission mechanism and operating principle of the device.